Beaudesert Pony Club Camp

Drove down to Beaudesert to join Peta and her daughters at annual Pony Club 'Draft' Camp. 

Bit different to pony club in the UK: 

• riders were 'cutting' steers (selecting one from the herd and then driving it through an 'S' shaped course and all in 40 seconds);
• being shown how to ride their horses over a 'body' (inflatable) and push through crowds (huge, inflatable balls) by the mounted police (whose training headquarters is within 1km of our house so we are going to go over and see them training one day);
• taking part in an endurance race (checking the heartrate of their horse and cantering around the very large arena five times);
• jousting;
• jumping, dressage and gymkhana events.

Oscar got a ride on one of the ponies. Both boys took part in a water bomb fight and we all ate massive cheese burgers from the barbie...great Aussie experience.

I got to ride two ponies. Took them for a fling round the fields and went through the bending poles with them. Got told off for not wearing a sleeved top (!), not following pony club rules - reminded me of being part of pony club in UK and getting told off for galloping too much!

Met a man called Greig who has a 'station' (cattle ranch), breaks/trains horses and says I can go help him muster cattle on horseback...yeehah! Have bought myself a lightweight riding hat (as used by the Aussie mounted police) and as the size is adjustable, the boys can also use it.