Royal Meadows Equestrian Centre

01/08/2026

Perfect day for a ride around the farm!

29/07/2026

Someone’s in danger of losing their paddock ornament status 🤣. This little pocket rocket will spend lots of time in a long rein walk before we start introducing much speed into the mix, lol.

28/07/2026

The EMMETT Technique for horses is returning to Royal Meadows in October! The horses will be pleased 😀

A new horse course starting on the 3rd and 4th of October in Macclesfield, Victoria. Please contact me for information or browse the EMMETT Technique Australia website for details on the technique and courses offered.

On the course you will learn:
🐴About The EMMETT Technique and Ross Emmett
🐴Understanding light touch and its effect on the body
🐴Observation and assessment skills
🐴Foundational EMMETT moves for horses (and humans!)
🐴Practical hands-on experience throughout the weekend

The course is perfect for those new to equine soft tissue therapy. while also providing valuable knowledge for experienced equine professionals.

11/07/2026

Very fortunate to have Greg from Liversage saddles here to show us the range and try on the various saddles. More on this later, but to say I (and more importantly, my horses) love my new Liversage saddles is an understatement indeed!

05/07/2026

It's easy to label horses as lazy or naughty. But behaviour is communication, and sometimes that communication begins with the body's nervous system.

One nerve that deserves more attention is the accessory nerve.

What is the Accessory Nerve?

The accessory nerve (cranial nerve XI) supplies two important muscles: the trapezius and the brachiocephalicus.

These muscles help the horse move and stabilise the neck, shoulders and forehand. They also play an important role in posture and balance, particularly when carrying a rider.

If the muscles supplied by the accessory nerve become uncomfortable or restricted, a horse may find it difficult to lift through the withers, reach freely through the shoulder, or maintain a soft, elastic connection with the rider.

In some horses, even the anticipation of movement may be enough to create protective tension.

Perhaps this shouldn't surprise us. The withers are more than just a point beneath the saddle. In the wild, they are a region of great significance. A stallion grips the mare at the withers to help stabilise and keep her still during mating. Predators instinctively target the same area, using it to gain control over their prey.

Is it possible that the horse's nervous system still regards this region as one deserving special protection? If discomfort is present in the muscles influenced by the accessory nerve, could the horse respond by guarding the area, limiting movement, or expressing behaviours that are often interpreted as resistance? While research is still evolving, these questions invite us to look beyond the obvious and consider the horse's responses through a different lens.

Before we ask, "Why won't they?" perhaps we should ask, "What are they protecting?"

03/07/2026

Mietta and Watson reporting for duty!

29/06/2026

Seems like a fairly typical family photo 😆

27/06/2026

We are running another bone workshop. Date - 26th July, 2pm for two hours. Cost is $65 - bargain!

Another bone workshop has been scheduled!

For the last 10 years or so I have been collecting equine bones. As a therapist it was an interest of mine, to see what was below the surface. I am grateful for each and every one of the donated bones I have received. They have been given for the purposes of education and I would now like to open up my collection to small groups of interested people.

It's a hands-on experience and we can explore such questions as, what does the SI joint look like, how do the first two cervical vertebrae differ from the others, what actual bone is that, what does kissing spine (ODSP) look like?

The workshop is designed for all equine enthusiasts, no prior knowledge needed.

July 26th at 2 pm. Details in the flyer.

I am also happy to run workshops at your venue, if you have a group of interested people