Bridget

1. Where is your home?

I grew up on the coast just south of Brisbane and spent three years living in western Canada before moving to Wānaka in 2022. I'm still adjusting to the cold.

 

2. When and how did your horse journey start?

My very first pony ride was at my grandparents' golf club Christmas party when I was four or five. After that, I begged my parents for riding lessons, and they eventually gave in! I worked my way up through my local riding school, training in eventing, and started instructing towards the end of high school. After finishing school, I moved across the world to guide and instruct at a summer camp in upstate New York. I then spent three summers guiding in western Canada before making the move to beautiful New Zealand.

 

3. Who’s currently your favourite horse and why?

It's a toss-up between Nekko and Frank at the moment. They're both incredibly sweet horses who are always up for a cuddle, no matter the time of day.

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4. What’s your favorite horse movie?

An Aussie classic—The Man from Snowy River. Beautiful brumbies, stunning landscapes, and a great story.

 

5. What’s your least favorite chore to do around horses?

It used to be rugging and unrugging horses in winter. These days, it's probably clearing poo off the trails.

 

6. What's the one ride you’ve been on that you’ll never forget?

Not far from my home in Australia, I went beach riding for the first time. I still remember galloping down an empty beach and swimming with the horses. It was a very special day.

 

7. Where do we find you when not riding?

When the snow is good, you'll find me up the mountain skiing with my mates—I’ve worked seven ski seasons now. In the summers I’ll be out hiking or spending time on the lake. I'm also a keen baker, so otherwise I'm probably whipping up a batch of sweet treats.