Hodges Equestrian

01/03/2026

A lovely, stress-free start to the season ✨

We enjoyed a wonderful day out at the Burpengary Members Dressage Day with Eldi, Lacey, and even young Frankie making an appearance.

The focus today wasn’t on chasing scores, but on giving each horse a relaxed, low-pressure outing to build confidence away from home — not that Eldi needs much help in that department!

Despite a few early piloting and navigation hiccups for both Eldi and Lacey in their first tests, they returned for their second rounds with improved accuracy, ease & a test caller. Eldi came away with a 🥇 and 🥈 in Elementary 3.1 and 3.2 respectively, while Lacey secured two 🥇 placings in Preliminary 1.1 and 1.2.

Frankie also stepped out for his very first test experience, beginning with calmly standing to be plaited (which, trust us, is already a win!). He then took part in the “no judge” 15-minute arena practice. Although he would have preferred a pas de deux with Eldi beside him, he was a little chatty but held himself together well and is growing in confidence with every outing.

It was lovely catching up with old friends and seeing everyone out enjoying their horses just as much as we do.

A big thank you to the NDHD Committee for running such a welcoming event, and to our fantastic sponsors:
🐎 Blackhorse Equestrian — for seamless style and comfort
🐎 CEN Nutrition — helping our horses look and feel their best.

We’re looking forward to the season ahead!

04/02/2026

Tri Valley Equitation

Every Saturday on the Saturday Start Up with Dave & Nikki, we crown a River 94.9 Junior Sports Star of the Week!

🏀🏈⚽️⚾️🏒🥎🎾⛳️🏏

Got a young local legend at home? Simply upload a photo of them playing their sport and they’ll go in the draw to win.

Enter here ➡️ https://www.river949.com.au/win/junior-sports-star-of-the-week/

All thanks to Ipswich & Amberley Self Storage!

02/11/2025

✨ What a way to finish the season! ✨
The final TVE Working Equitation training of the year was the perfect way to wrap things up. After a short break from riding, I couldn’t be happier with how both horses have come back into work — focused, willing, and feeling better than ever. 🐴💪

Lacey continues to show us she’s truly something special — she gives her all every ride and reminds me why I love this sport so much. 💕
And Frankie, at only his second outing, is already showing glimpses of the superstar within. There’s so much potential in that big heart of his, and I can’t wait to see where a bit more time and consistency will take him. 🌟

Now it’s time for us all to enjoy the summer, stay consistent with our training, and consolidate the basics. Feeling incredibly grateful for these two beautiful horses, our support crew, and the opportunities to keep learning and improving together. ☀️

27/10/2025

16/10/2025

Countdown is on for the final competition of the year!

09/10/2025

🌟 Back in the Saddle and Feeling Grateful! 🌟

It’s a long-overdue post, but I’m so pleased to share that almost a fortnight ago I got back in the saddle after a nasty concussion. I feel incredibly grateful to have such a wonderful, kind, and reliable stallion who made the return to competition so smooth. After both of us having a few weeks off, we were able to head straight into the show ring — and to top it off, he competed successfully in the side saddle classes, having only been fitted to a side saddle about 15 minutes before our first event!

I’ll admit, the details of each award are a bit of a blur (perhaps still the concussion talking!), but we came home with what feels like a hall of prizes that I’ll cherish for a long time.

🏆 Highlights include:
• Champion Andalusian
• Champion Baroque
• Best Presented Side Saddle
• Plus a raft of awards from Hunter Hack, Costume, and other breed classes

A heartfelt thank you to Helen & Kristy Byrne from H&E Equestrian for their incredible support and generosity in loaning me the late, great Wendy Tidbold’s Mayhew side saddle. Even after approximately five years, sliding back into that saddle felt like being reunited with an old friend — truly a special moment.

A huge thank you also to Kate and the incredible team at NDHD for hosting such a wonderful event, and to the amazing sponsors who make it all possible:
💖 Australian Side Saddle Community
💖 Horse Queened
💖 Stance Equitec
💖 Garlands by Emily
💖 Kohnke’s Own
💖 CEN Horse Nutrition — especially for keeping Eldi in such outstanding condition!
💖 & last but not least my amazingly supportive husband who I could not have done this without!

Feeling so fortunate, proud of our beautiful boy, and deeply grateful for the support of such an incredible community. 💫

08/10/2025

Tequilla MCL, rising 3-year-old Lusitano filly successfully passed her APSL assessment today!
A heartfelt thank you to Abby for trusting us with this beautiful girl, to Susanne and Michael for your wonderful hospitality (as always!), and to Joao Ralão, Technical Secretary of the Lusitano Breed and WAWE President, for your thorough assessment and insightful conversation.

22/08/2025

19/08/2025

✨ Competition Update ✨

I am so excited to share that I competed in my very first Working Equitation Competition at Consagrados 1 on the weekend in Kilkivan, hosted by South Burnett Working Equitation (SBWE).

With Mr Hodges often travelling for work, it has truly been a team effort to keep Eldi in training and progressing through the levels over the past few years. I can honestly say that no matter how much preparation you do at home, nothing quite replicates the challenges of a fully set-up course on competition day. For this reason, I am especially grateful to my husband for encouraging me to step up and put my training to the test.

There were some beautiful moments, alongside others that weren’t quite as polished — but every single one provided invaluable lessons. Not just about the sport and the obstacles, but also about myself: learning to take each challenge as it comes, and not carrying past mistakes into the next step.

A huge thank you to:
🏆 SBWE – for hosting such an enjoyable event
🏇 WBWE – for providing their beautiful, peaceful grounds (earthquake included!)
🌿 CEN Horse Nutrition – for keeping Eldi in top condition
👗 BlackHorse Equestrian – for ensuring I was well presented no matter what the day threw at me
📸 Trace Digital – for capturing these special moments so beautifully

It was an incredible experience, and I’m looking forward to many more opportunities to grow and challenge myself in this wonderful sport.

31/07/2025

🐎 “The goal is not to raise the neck, it is to lower the hips.” 🎠

In classical dressage and equitation, the focus is on engagement of the hindquarters, self-carriage, and the gymnastic development of the horse, rather than artificially creating an aesthetic outline.

Raising the neck without proper engagement is often the result of rider interference, gadgets, or incorrect training — it may look flashy, but it does not reflect true collection or balance.

Instead, lowering the hips (also referred to as the sitting of the hindquarters) indicates that the horse is:

• Engaging the lumbosacral joint
• Carrying more weight in the hind legs
• Lifting the withers and back naturally
• Moving with lightness and impulsion

This is the foundation of movements like the piaffe, passage, pirouette, or even a balanced collected trot — where the horse sits, coils its energy, and moves forward with grace and ease.

14/07/2025

🌨 From Sunshine to Sleet – A Weekend to Remember! 🐴❄️

What a journey! We left the warm 25°C embrace of Rosewood Qld and arrived in Blayney NSW to be greeted by -4°C temperatures and sideways sleet – a culture shock to say the least! 🥶

Tony & Eldi took part in the WAWE World Championship Qualifier and rode beautifully to place 3rd overall, just narrowly missing out on the qualifying score. Despite the chill, it was an incredibly valuable experience – filled with learning, camaraderie, and memorable moments.

Eldi, still young with a bright future ahead, handled the tough conditions with heart and promise. We gained many insightful takeaways from international judge José Andrés Benito, whose feedback was both encouraging and constructive.

A heartfelt thank you to:
⭐️ Our fellow competitors for their sportsmanship and new-found friendships forged in the frost
⭐️ The ANWEL organising committee for their tireless efforts
⭐️ Our sponsors – CEN Horse Nutrition, BlackHorse Equestrian, and Technyflex - Premium Joint Supplement – for ensuring we both looked and felt fabulous throughout the weekend!

Here’s to chasing goals, learning from every ride, and celebrating the small wins on the path to greater things! 🐎✨