Equine Awakening

23/03/2026

Wow what a weekend!

23/03/2026

What a weekend at SANESA Tshwane Qualifier 2 at Eaton Farm this one had heart, grit, and a whole lot of rain! 🐎🌧️🔥

Saturday kicked us off strong with Annebelle and Baby, Micah and Dorey, and Julie and Rezzi setting the standard with confident, determined riding.

By Sunday, the momentum carried through. Micah and Dorey, and Isabel and Rezzi stepped up and delivered, bringing home the rosettes and finishing the weekend on a high! 🏵️✨

Riding in the rain isn’t for the faint-hearted, but this team showed real toughness. Through it all, there was laughter, support, and proper horsemanship. And the real heroes? The horses. These incredible partners gave everything for their riders. “Thank you” will never quite cover it, so a massive WELL DONE to our four-legged stars who made this weekend what it was. ❤️🐴

Behind every round was a team making it happen. Nicolai towing us there and back, our grooms working tirelessly, Clara and Carmi running non-stop (Carmi, our resident runner, you were everywhere!), and Clara and Nicolai capturing the moments we’ll look back on 📸✨

To the families, Annebelle’s mom and dad, Julie’s mom, dad and granny, and Isabel’s mom and dad showing up on Sunday in true Abri fashion, your support means everything.

And to my riders, this is what it’s about. Showing up when it’s hard, pushing through when it’s uncomfortable, and growing every single time you get on. I’m seriously proud of each of you. Keep that hunger, keep that work ethic, this is how champions are built. 💪🔥

“Success is built in the moments no one sees. Rain, mud, hard work, and the courage to keep going.” 🌧️🐎✨

10/03/2026

Some photos this week!

10/03/2026

There’s something truly special about horses and children. 🐴❤️

Horses have a way of calming little hearts and helping busy minds slow down. Their quiet presence, gentle energy, and steady rhythm create a space where children can simply relax and feel safe.

This little guy is Luke — Julie’s brother — who decided the horses were so relaxing that he fell asleep right here with us. Tablet on his lap, sunshine on his face, and completely at peace after spending time with the horses.

Moments like these remind us that horses are not just for riding. They teach patience, confidence, and sometimes they just give a tired little soul the calm they need.

Horse therapy at its most honest: when a child feels safe enough to simply rest.

20/02/2026

16/02/2026

GAUTENG TSHWANE 2026 – QUALIFIER 1
Eaton Farm brought the pressure… and our riders rose to it.

So incredibly proud of this team and the heart they showed in the arena:

🤍 AnneBElle & Baobab
First 80cm Hunter.
First Level 7 Performance.
• 7th – 80cm Fox Hunter
• 🥈 2nd – Show Riding
Stepping up a level takes courage — and she proved she belongs there.

💙 Andreas & Rezzi
• 5th – 70cm Competition
• 5th – 70cm A2
Double top-five finishes built on consistency, focus and growing confidence.

🔥 Carmi & Wakidi
• 🥇 60cm A2
• 🥇 Working Riding
• 🥇 60cm Competition
• 🥉 3rd – 60cm Other
• 5th – In-hand Utility
Triple champion energy. Determined, focused and dominant.

Different journeys.
Different milestones.
One proud coach.

Champions are built in the arena — and this weekend showed exactly that. 🐎✨

06/02/2026

Big thanks to Colin Sparkes

for all your support! Congrats for being top fans on a streak 🔥!thanx Dad!

27/01/2026

Interaction with horses can support emotional regulation by influencing the nervous system.

• The horse’s rhythmic movement stimulates the vestibular system, which helps regulate arousal and emotional states.
• Physical contact with a horse has been shown to reduce cortisol (stress hormone) and increase oxytocin, promoting calm and connection.
• Horses are highly responsive to human muscle tension and breathing, providing immediate biofeedback that encourages self-regulation.
• Time with horses can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, shifting the body out of fight-or-flight and into a calmer state.

These effects allow emotional regulation to be learned through sensory input and movement rather than language alone.

22/01/2026

There is something truly special about horses — even when you’re not riding them. 🐎✨
Just being around a horse can calm your mind, slow your breathing, and soften your heart. They don’t judge, they don’t rush you, and they don’t expect anything from you… they simply are.

Horses teach us patience, presence, and trust. They mirror our emotions, ground us in the moment, and remind us to breathe, to feel, and to connect. Sometimes the healing doesn’t happen in the saddle — it happens in the quiet moments beside them, with a gentle nuzzle or a soft sigh.

If you’ve ever felt lighter, calmer, or more at peace just standing next to a horse, you’ll understand. 🤍

22/01/2026

Thank you, Rebecca Jeal, for your invaluable input and incredible knowledge at the performance riding clinic yesterday. Your guidance, insight, and passion truly made a difference, and we are so grateful for the time and expertise you shared with us.Rebecca Jeal

13/12/2025

Magic