Avoca Park Equestrian

31/08/2026

🔨🌿 ON-SITE MAINTENANCE & GARDENING POSITION – MACCLESFIELD 🌿🔨

Avoca Park Equestrian is looking for a reliable, practical person to join our team one day a week helping with general maintenance and outdoor jobs around our property in Macclesfield, Victoria.

This role would suit someone who enjoys working outdoors, likes a variety of jobs and is happy to get stuck in!

🌱 What does the job involve?

The work will vary from week to week and may include:

* Weeding and general garden maintenance
* Using gardening equipment such as a whipper snipper and sprayer
* Assisting with fencing and property maintenance
* Painting and general repairs
* Cleaning and maintaining outdoor areas
* Other odd jobs around our equestrian property

You don't necessarily need professional experience — we're happy to consider someone who has gained practical experience at home and is comfortable using basic tools and equipment.

🔧 We're looking for someone who:

✔️ Is reliable and committed to turning up each week
✔️ Enjoys working outdoors and being active
✔️ Has some experience with gardening tools and general maintenance
✔️ Can follow instructions and work safely
✔️ Can manage their own time and work independently
✔️ Is practical and willing to have a go at different jobs
✔️ Takes pride in doing a job properly

Hours: One regular day per week
Usual hours: 8am–4pm, although this can be negotiated
Day: Flexible — we're happy to work around an existing schedule as long as the day and hours are consistent each week.

💰 Wage: Dependent on experience, skill set and proficiency.

This could be a great opportunity for someone who enjoys working outside rather than sitting behind a desk, and likes having a different job to tackle each week!

📍 Location: Macclesfield, Victoria

If you're interested, send us a message with a little bit about yourself, your experience and your availability we will follow up and ask for a resume.

Please share this post with anyone you think might be a good fit! 🌿🐴

26/08/2026

Meet Roxie – one of our longest-serving school horses and a mare with plenty of personality! ❤️🐴

Roxie has been part of our school horse team for more than 8 years, and in that time she has helped countless riders learn, grow in confidence and develop their skills. But Roxie certainly hasn't lost her spark along the way!

She came to us with plenty of experience already behind her, having been trained through the Pony Club levels and competing up to Grade 3 dressage and Grade 4 eventing. Over the years, she has continued to add to that experience through her work as a school horse, giving her an incredible depth of knowledge to share with her riders.

What we love most about Roxie is that she has never become one of those school horses who simply switches off and goes around on autopilot. She has kept her sassy spark, her responsiveness and her big personality. Roxie knows her job very well, but she also expects her riders to be involved and to actually ride her!

She's suitable for beginners through to confident riders and is particularly fantastic for more experienced, independent riders who are ready to refine their riding and develop a better connection with their horse. She's also brilliant for lunge lessons, allowing riders to focus on their balance, position and feel.

After more than 8 years as part of our school team, Roxie has become one of those horses we know we can rely on. She has seen riders start from the very beginning and grow into confident, capable horse people, and there's something really special about seeing a horse like Roxie be part of that journey.

She has a big personality, a little bit of sass and absolutely no intention of becoming boring! 😂 And honestly, we wouldn't have her any other way.

📍 Avoca Park Equestrian, Macclesfield VIC
📞 Phone: 0422 561 126
📧 Email: [email protected]
🌐 Website: https://avocapark.com.au/horse-riding-lessons

We're very lucky to have had Roxie as part of our team for so many years, and we're looking forward to seeing what she can teach the next generation of Avoca Park riders. ❤️

06/08/2026

My Musing for Today...

Birthdays are wonderful things. They’re the one day of the year that is truly ours, yet they’re also about others who have been part of the journey.

They give us a reason to reach out. To send the text. To make the call. To stop for a moment and connect in a way we often mean to, but don’t always manage in the rush of everyday life.

Last night, with another dear friend, I had the honour of celebrating my longest friend’s birthday. Fifty years of friendship between us. That is no small thing.

Fifty years of stories, laughter, change, shared history and simply knowing each other. The older I get, the more I realise how rare and precious that is. Time is a privilege. Depth is a privilege. Friendship is a privilege.

So, over an amazing Japanese meal, some lovely sake and a green tea to finish, we did just that. We celebrated her. We celebrated the years. We celebrated the gift of still being in each other’s lives.

And really, isn’t that what birthdays are about? Not just another year older, but another chance to be grateful for the people who have walked beside us, stayed with us, and helped make life what it is.

Good night friends..

06/08/2026

HORSE LOVING CHILDRENS BOOK FULL OF LOVE & LAUGHTER 🐴💞

Meet Roseanna Gold, the spirited chestnut mare with a big personality, a loving family, and a dream to dance.

Told through Roseanna’s own voice, this heartwarming story follows her journey from a wobbly newborn foal at Avoca Park to a confident young dressage horse stepping into the competition arena for the very first time.

Children will love discovering the world of horses through Roseanna’s eyes, from halter lessons, paddock adventures, farrier visits and road rides, to dressage training, school holiday lessons and the excitement of competition day.

This book is perfect for:

**Horse-loving children
**Young riders learning about dressage
**Families who enjoy gentle, educational animal stories
**Pony club readers and equestrian schools
**Anyone who has ever loved a special horse

Roseanna Gold is more than a horse story. It is a story about growing up, learning confidence, trusting your people, finding your place in the herd, and being proud of who you are.

Beautiful, warm, educational and full of personality, Roseanna Gold is a lovely read for children who dream of horses, dancing hooves and magical days at the stables.

Created for children between 5 - 12 years old.

$19.95 plus postage.

Call or SMS us now - 0422 561 126

04/08/2026

Todays Musing

Today our new office cat arrived.

It has taken me a little while to get to this point. The sudden loss of our beautiful Sebastion really knocked me around. I went through so many of the emotions that come with grief. It felt unfair. I wondered if I had missed something. He was too young.

When loss does not come from old age, I think our minds naturally try to make sense of it. We search for the why. We look for answers. But sometimes, there simply is not an answer that will ever feel enough.

Then there are the well meaning questions.

“When are you getting another cat?”

“When are you replacing Sebastion?”

That word, replace, is a hard one. Because it is not possible. We do not replace the ones we love. They keep their place. Always. That place belongs to them, and nothing can take it away from us.

But what we can do is open our hearts again. We can care again. We can love again. Not instead of the one we lost, but because love has a way of making room.

And somewhere out there was another cat who needed a place, a people, and a little bit of love too.

Apparently there were hundreds of applicants, yet somehow the circle kept coming back to us. And today, it happened.

Please meet Benjamin.

We are all very happy to welcome him. There have already been antics, laughter and that lovely little shift in energy that animals seem to bring with them.

Sebastion will always be part of our story. And now Benjamin begins his own chapter with us.

We very much look forward to the journey ahead.

Apparently, he saw a bird in the tree outside. 🤣

Goodnight friends!

03/08/2026

This is a must do… And it’s FREE!

🐎 Equine Back Pain, Locomotion and Physiotherapy exercises with Fiona Wi******er

https://www.trybooking.com/DNZBT

Join Fiona Wi******er of All Creatures Physiotherapy for an
informative and practical webinar exploring the vital connection between equine
back pain, locomotion and physiotherapy.

This session will provide horse owners, riders and equestrian professionals with valuable insights into how musculoskeletal health influences comfort, movement, performance and overall wellbeing. Fiona will discuss common causes of back pain in horses, how pain can affect locomotion and performance, and the important role physiotherapy plays in assessment, treatment and rehabilitation.

Participants will also learn a range of basic physiotherapy exercises that can be incorporated into everyday horse management to support strength, mobility and function. Drawing on her extensive experience, Fiona will explain how physiotherapists undertake detailed assessments of
musculoskeletal conditions and use a variety of treatment and rehabilitation
techniques to restore injured tissues and joints to optimal function.
Whether your horse competes in dressage, eventing, polo, western disciplines, racing, pony club activities, or is simply a valued companion, this webinar will provide practical knowledge to help maximise soundness, comfort and athletic performance.

💙 About Fiona Wi******er and All Creatures Physiotherapy

All Creatures Physiotherapy is a specialised mobile service dedicated to improving the comfort, function, performance and athleticism of horses, dogs, riders and other small animals. Physiotherapy aims to restore optimal strength and function to soft tissue structures and joints, enabling better movement quality, enhanced performance and improved quality of life.

Don't miss this opportunity to learn how physiotherapy can help your horse move more freely, perform at its best and maintain long-term musculoskeletal health.

https://www.trybooking.com/DNZBT

03/08/2026

Today’s Musing....

Gratitude is one of those things that sounds so simple when we talk about it.

But actually remembering to feel it, properly and consciously, every day is not always as easy as it seems.

We are often grateful for the big things. The good news, the kind gesture, the unexpected help, the moments when life feels like it has finally given us a little breathing space. Those things are easy to notice.

But it is the simple things I think we forget.

Waking up in a warm bed. Having someone to message. A cup of tea. A roof over our head. The sun coming through the window. A laugh when we needed one. The ordinary parts of life that are not really ordinary at all, when we stop and think about them.

Gratitude can show itself in so many ways.

It can be as simple as thanking someone and really meaning it. It can be returning a favour, giving a gift, showing up for someone or just letting people know they matter.

But I think the deepest kind of gratitude is the quiet kind.

The kind that happens in our own thoughts.

The moment when we wake up in the morning and remember, even just for a few seconds, how lucky we are to have what we have. Not because life is perfect. Not because there are no worries, no hard days, no things weighing on our heart.

But because even amongst all of that, there is still something to be thankful for.

I think when we start the day with that thought, it changes something. It softens us a little. It gives the day a different feeling. And maybe if we can carry that feeling into the day, it starts to shape the week, then the month and slowly the way we move through life.

And the lovely thing about gratitude is that it does not have to stay with us. It can ripple out.

When we are grateful, we tend to be kinder. More patient. More aware of what others are carrying. We thank people more. We notice the good more. We bring people along with us without even realising it.

Maybe being grateful is not about being positive all the time.

Maybe it is not about pretending everything is fine.

Maybe it is just about remembering to pause.

To look around.

To say thank you.

To notice the small things before they pass us by.

Because sometimes the simple things are the things that hold us together the most.

Tonight I am grateful for my view and the peace of my old horses.....

I'd love to know what you're grateful for?

Goodnight friends..

01/08/2026

The Happiest of Birthdays to all the wonderful horses that support us humans in our goals and dreams.

And a VERY SPECIAL shout out to our AWESOME school horses - Jazmine - Solomon - Justin - Holly - Felix - Evie - Aztec - Stormy - Hazel - Roxie - Santa - Vegemite and Daisy.

Without you all we would not be able to offer what we do to Help People Live Their Love of Horses.

I am a little bit sad that you are all a year older.... I would like you to be with us forever!! We LOVE YOU!!!!

31/07/2026

Leadership leads to partnership, and true partnership with your horse is built through clarity, structure, consistency and mutual respect.

In our latest blog, we explore how calm leadership, fair boundaries and emotion-free training help horses understand what we are asking, develop confidence and ultimately offer lightness and trust.

This is at the heart of Avoca Park Equestrian and Dressage in Lightness Online: educating both horse and rider so the conversation becomes clearer, kinder and more harmonious.

Read the full blog to discover how well-rounded training can transform obedience into genuine partnership.
https://avocapark.com.au/blog/post/leadership-leads-to-partnership-building-mutual-respect-through-clear-kind-structured-horse-training

30/07/2026

Musings, Musings, Musings...

I’ve been sitting in my armchair tonight, thinking about today’s little revelations, when I realised the very thing I was doing was watching something that I was also doing myself....

My gorgeous new kitten, Maple, was on the couch beside me chasing her tail. Around and around she went, completely entertained by her own little circus, and honestly, so was I.

I was tired, and what I really should have been doing was all the necessary stuff. Getting…….Dishes done. Lunch made for tomorrow. Samantha out for a wee. Heaters off. Lights out. Into bed.

But no. There I sat, watching Maple spin herself silly.

Some days are a bit like that. Chasing your tail from one end of the day to the other, getting nowhere in particular, but somehow still being caught up in the movement of it all.

So now it’s late, and here I am, still musing.

Tomorrow is another day, with all the potential in the world. A fresh start. A new chance. A little reminder that we don’t have to keep standing still or going around in circles.

We can get up, step forward, and live it.

And if all else fails, at least we can take a lesson from Maple: find a bit of joy in the spin.

Sleep well frinds, I'm going to!!