Hats off to Jack Nichol who has been gentling three of the wild horses we rescued.  Cowboy, Cammie and Babe are all making terrific progress.  Cammie, the gruella filly is more shy than the others.  However, we believe that with time, patience and lots of tlc she will be just fine.  Cowboy is quite the gentleman, he is easy going and quick to learn.  In the beguinning however, he cleared a four foot fence like a deer when he was frightened.  Cowboy seems to have gotten that out of his system now though.  Babe the three year old lives up to her name, she loves attention and even licks Jack’s coat.  She is quite willing to take cookies from your hand.  Babe will be partnered up with Wyley in learning to drive.   Bob and  I went to visit the trio last weekend and also went for a chariot ride. 

Jack has been teaching my QH/MorganX mare to drive.  Shizonne has been a challenging student for Jack.  While harnessed to the cutter Shizonne took off with Jack and wife Marjorie, across an open field they flew.  Unlike like the gentle christmas carol Jingle Bells, …o’er the fields we go laughing all the way…, it was more like screaming all the way, at least I would be.  Anyways, the snow billowed in on top of them and the visibility was zero, but finally Jack got the team to stop, but then Shizonne refused to budge.  Poor Cody, Jack’s old gelding had to practically drag her home.  She is at least 1300 lbs and built like a tank, Cody had his work cut out for him.  Luckily they all survived the ordeal unharmed, but Jack had his doubts as to Shizonne’s career under the harness.  He found out that my stubborn mare liked the chariot much better than the cutter however, and invited us for a ride. 

I searched in vain for my pink feather duster to attach to my riding helmet, although I did scrounge up the christmas tree skirt that would have doubled as a cape, but as per usual, Bob thought I was a tad bit of a goof.  Hence I scrapped the idea of my medieval roman costume and put on some warm winter apparel instead.  The ride itself was a bit on the bumpy side to beguin with. Bob and I stood on opposite sides of the chariot over the wheels while Jack the driver naturally was in the middle at the reins.  Good thing Bob and I are some what heavy weights as to keep the chariot from tipping over as we bounced around on the bladder busting snow covered field.  The tough haul through the snow was to burn off some of the horses steam so that we could safely make the transition onto the smooth road.  It was a nice little jaunt in the crisp winter air and the clinking of the metal sounded soothing, something like Christmas bells.  Cody was more interested in rejoining his buddies that galloped beside us in the nearby pasture, but thankfully were separated by a fence.  Shizonne however, kept on the straight and narrow, and Cody had to follow suit.  At the end of the driveway we once again came to the open field(this time an even, but notorious one), that same field that days earlier been a joy ride for Jack & Marjorie.  However, Shizonne continued to be a good girl and we travelled along quite nicely and without incident.  I think she was trying to show us how well trained she was now so that we would take her home. However, she has a few weeks of training left provided she remains on good behavior. 

It was a lot of fun and now I can say I have had a chariot ride.  It may be a different story once I learn to drive though.  If I thought driving a car or staying seated and upright in the saddle was challenging…Well, we will have to wait and see, and that is what Bob is afraid of.  I guess he won’t be a passenger with me anytime soon.

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Hi Doreen,
The situation of wild horse culling in Australia is a
complex one.Most of the animals run in the outback of the country where they do little damage to the environment,much of outback Australia have cattle ranches with millions of cattle feeding on whatever is available.  Australia is about the same size as the U.S. with deserts occupying the greater part of the land mass.  Wild horses roam the mountain country and bush lands of every State.  They came with the first fleet and established themselves early in the settlement of the country.many escaping from pioneers and bush rangers,some were turned loose by failed settlements etc. The noble horse played a major part in establishing our great country just as it did in Canada and the U.S. Sadly governments of the day see our beautiful horses as pests and Ferrel’s causing damage to the native plants and vegetation. This argument has some justification and it is necessary to put in place a respectable
management plan to protect our parks and forests. Most that are involved in the culling of our wild horses have limited knowledge of the horse and its habits,eradication of the animals are often undertaken by shooters from choppers,you can imagine the cruelty of an event like this.I have been informed of the
Army being used to exterminate a large mob from the bush in north Queensland recently.using shooters by the same method.many of the animals are left wounded to die a terrible death.  There is some outcry by various groups but mostly unheeded by local governments.  Something bigger is needed to bring public awareness to the plight of the animals.It is my hope to raise funds to make a suitable documentary exposing the cruelty and inhumane methods used to control our wild
herds.There are many expert people in the country with far better ideas that should be considered to preserve our heritage and the future of the magnificent wild Brumbies of Australia.
Wayne Strickland
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