Around The Traps

Hannah Hawkey and Palamo Awesome Exposure at the 2019 Caboolture Summer Gala Series in their second ever dressage test. Hannah was the youngest rider to compete (Image by RowanW Photo).

AROUND THE TRAPS

ABOVE: Eden Jerinic and Dawnmaw Smarty in their first cross country at the Herbert River Pony Club (Image by Colleen Jerinic). RIGHT: Von Robertson, OTT Herbie and Pandy share a quiet moment at home (Image by Craig Higgins).

SADDLE REVIEW

Defiance Dressage

After travelling the globe Dr Clarissa BrownDouglas now calls Bendigo home. It’s where she’s settled with her husband, two children and a horse called Pi.

Dr Clarissa BrownDouglas, originally from Wellington in New Zealand, has ridden all her life. As a child, she was fortunate to have parents who were happy to drive their horse-mad daughter from their suburban home to a riding stable where she could indulge her passion.

Clarissa later had horses of her own and was a keen eventer. But then her career as an equine nutritionist with Kentucky Equine Research, a job she loves, intervened, and for several years she lived and worked in the US. The next move was to Melbourne, which became her base while she travelled the world working with horse owners, breeders and trainers providing nutrition advice for their equine athletes.

Then the opportunity arose to move to Bendigo, Victoria, and Clarissa and her husband relocated to the old gold rush town in 2014.

As life settled into a steady rhythm, it was time to think about owning another horse, and this eventuated when Clarissa purchased a stunning OTT dapple grey who unfortunately, proved not to be The One.

And then along came Pi: “He’s a beautiful German Riding Pony cross Thoroughbred, who at 16hh is a teddy bear, or perhaps a giant Labrador would be more accurate. We have a Labrador called Raffie, and she and Pi are best mates,” laughs Clarissa.

Originally bred to be a small dressage horse, Pi grew too tall to fulfil that role and subsequently joined Clarissa’s family, of which he is a much-loved member.

Courtesy of Pi’s mixed heritage, finding a saddle to accommodate his solid body with its sloping back, high withers, and prominent shoulders, was always going to be challenging. “I enlisted the help of a saddle fitter, who assessed Pi and gave me a list of saddles that might suit us both. I’m really quite tall with very long legs,” Clarissa explains.

Clarissa had heard about The Saddle Hub through friends and decided to visit their online store. “There were a couple of saddles there that caught my eye, but then I saw the Defiance, which was the right size and a very good price,” she says. “I loved the fact that The Saddle Hub gives you a 14-day period to trial their saddles, which I really needed. But as it happened, it was first time lucky – the saddle was perfect, I’m loving it.”

Given that Pi is only six, there’s every possibility that he might change shape and need a different saddle. If that’s the case, Clarissa will simply go back to The Saddle Hub. But for now, it’s time to enjoy the comfort of her Defence Dressage Saddle as she rides her sweet, sensible Pi. And when her children are older Clarissa may even consider getting into some dressage, but right now: “I’m a very happy hacker,” she says with a smile.

The Equestrian Hub has a wide variety of second-hand saddles, so be sure to visit www.equestrianhub.com.au and browse through their fantastic range.

All saddles come with a twoweek trial, finance options, and a courier right to your door.

Clarissa and Pi out for a ride with Raffie, Pi’s bestie, racing along behind.