Kirralee Jones & VBA Pippa

Pippa travelled beautifully from Victoria to NSW and was immediately eating and drinking upon arrival. It has been incredible to be a part of a wild horses transformation over the first 5 days. To witness her progress from fear and weariness to becoming more curious and confident. It is a testament to her resilience and ability to learn and I look forward to continue to be a positive impact on her life to teach her about the world and the life she is now able to live. 

I have started slowly and thoughtfully in my approach with Pippa, respecting her instincts and gradually building trust at her pace. Starting by simply sitting near her while she eats, and having other horses eating next to her fence to show that other horses are confident in a person’s presence. She progressed to taking hay from my hand, touching my hand as she eats, using the end of a whip/stick to touch her face while eating and eventually my hand on her face. Through all of this and upon approach of her yard during the day I am very aware of both hers and my own body language to encourage a draw towards me and the ability to catch her eye. Gradually then I was able to be in her yard repeating the same activities. By the fifth day I have started showing her that she can have me in only one eye, slightly to the side of her body. 

Pippa has shown that she has a high survival instinct, no step can be skipped and that each small movement challenges her and would have a big reaction of worry. Therefore I have needed to be very thorough, consistent and clear with my intentions. I am excited to see where the next days, weeks and months lead to and how she continues to grow and understand being a domestic environment and how this will positively influence her.

Pippa is becoming very curious and inquisitive and is growing in confidence in day to day activities around her yard. She also seems to look forward to her time with me and progressing with learning. We have been learning a lot about each other and she is showing me how much of a blessing it is to be able to be around her.

I have been using a lot of positive reinforcement with Pippa which she is responding well to. She has a strong natural flight instinct, quick to get scared and leave if I even move an extra mm than I have previously. Whilst she comes back and draws to me which is awesome, she also feels that the leaving is what helps her in a time of worry. I was able to get a halter but after it was on she went back to the beginning with being touched as the sensation of the halter on her face made her very weary. We have finished the week with her being able to be touched, patted, scratched, slightly moving the halter on her face and having a small lead rope attached and her seeing it and being curious about it. 

She is really showing me how she needs to understand everything before being able to progress and she is very very clear in her communication and what she is comfortable with which is really interesting to watch and show her that I can communicate with her in a way that she understands.

Update from Week 4

The best judge of a trainer is the horse

4 weeks into the brumby challenge and it has already been life changing. Each horse I work with presents new learning opportunities and experiences for me and this little girl Pippa is no exception.

True success in training isn't just about achieving specific outcomes, but about the mutual understanding and progress made together. Pippa's natural instincts and high flight drive present challenges that require patience, sensitivity, and a deep respect for her individuality.

So far it has been a challenging roller coaster of highs and lows filled with absolute joy, appreciation and complete vulnerability. I have been integrating being in Pippa's presence into my daily activities as well as dedicated time to grow and develop her skills whilst ensuring that i see her communication and encourage her curiosity and confidence. She enjoys being the one to explore and make the decision to interact herself but is highly challenged when the opposite way around. She is definitely not one you can throw in without a comprehensive preparation of every detail. I am making sure I encourage openness through her mind and body towards what she fears, encouraging a posture that helps her to feel more confident and to prepare her well for each next step. 

It is important to me that I don’t push her past her capabilities that may cause her to hurt herself or need to ‘fight’ to protect herself. My approach contrasts with methods that might do something to achieve a dramatic result or showcase their own ‘skill’ at the expense of the horse's comfort and trust. With Pippa it would be easy to just push a tiny bit and get a huge reaction that would make her seem dangerous but is actually just a prey animal with a high instinct for survival.

For me, training is not about seeking impressive results instead it's about prioritising what Pippa experiences and ensuring that her journey is positive and supportive built on deep rooted communication, connection and create an environment where she can thrive and develop confidence. 

Pippa’s determination to learn despite her fear is absolutely incredible. She has been a reflection of self growth for me and I am fascinated and inspired by her. I am really looking forward to this journey with her!

Success cannot be measured, it has to be felt

5 weeks into the journey with my beautiful girl Pippa and the last few days we have made massive growth. She has learnt that pressure or touch on her body doesn’t mean she needs to flee but that she can feel it on her or in the space around her and think about what she needs to do. I started this with a bamboo stick that it can be near her and touch her, then that she can go around in a circle around me and then that she can walk/move and then come to a stop with it touching her. There were many small steps in between but it has really helped her understand that she can relax her muscles and breathe with something touching her/pressure around her. It has been amazing to see how smart she is as she has carried this over wonderfully into other aspects such as then being able to have a rope over her neck and teach her to be led from it. Even when she was unsure or had a challenging moment she would stop and think before reacting or if she ran a bit then she stopped and tried to figure it out. I am also very aware that she also doesn’t shut down and just cope with what is happening and shut down. It is really important to me that she is open and shows how she feels and from there I can help shape her responses to be most beneficial for her.

I am so extremely thankful for this journey Pippa is taking me on. So much has happened in the last few weeks and we are making progress I was feeling like it would take 6 months to make. I am seeing more and more how sensitive and aware of her body and surroundings she is and just how smart she is. I had this beautiful moment with her where she felt thankful and appreciative of having a safe relationship with another living being and how the trust with me and what am teaching her about the world she lives in is helping her to become more confident and relaxed. Even with other horses she doesn’t really form connections with and is left out or picked on and then she feels she needs to protect herself which makes other horses not enjoy her company. 

We came over a huge hurdle with our communication and that she can start to think before reacting out of flight instinct. Once she started to find this we very quickly progressed through to leading from a neck rope, leading from the halter, going into a bigger paddock, starting basic groundwork - continuation of our communication and teaching her about herself and how to respond to her environment in a more beneficial way. Her fast twitch muscles are very much trained to be her first pattern of reaction to anything new or that she is unsure about and her muscles tense very quickly, therefore her mind is also not in a place she can really be present and consciously think, rather her body goes into an involuntary contraction pattern. 

Together we are discovering and being present in the moment with what will help her and I am really allowing her to have a lot of processing time and to down regulate her nervous system. We have started with having a rope around her belly, body, legs, picking up feet, leading from her feet, full brushing and touching all over, leading next to me, using a flag, using a saddle pad, releasing tension from her muscles, releasing tension from her mouth and much more. A few of her more prominent weaknesses are when there is something above her eyes or a building, roof etc and new people.

She is such a gift to my life and whilst at this stage it seems very far off to ride or even walk around the property I am excited to see her personal development and how she continues to thrive.

The past few weeks have included a lot of achievements and milestones in Pippa's training. Both her body and mind are showing signs of relaxation and curiosity. She now nickers when I walk by and follows me when we finish spending time together, nickering after me, which is incredibly sweet.

I have been implementing a lot more play focused activities rather than ‘training’. Although the lack of a round yard has been challenging, it's allowed us to focus more on our bond and communication in an open area. We've been exploring our large paddocks together, where I've been letting Pippa take the lead and explore, and then that she can follow me, meeting other horses, walking next to the fence which was very hard for a long time, walking over obstacles and going through gate ways. She's making significant progress, especially in managing her fear of other horses and herd settings. Whilst there have been some extremely difficult times particularly at the beginning of week 8, she has always come back and gotten through the situation.

Recently, Pippa had her dental work done and met the farrier for hoof trimming last week and today had her hooves trimmed. Her hooves were very long, so it will be interesting to see how she adjusts now that they've been trimmed and are balanced.

A standout moment was my first time sitting on Pippa. We had been working towards this and she was remarkably calm and relaxed, making it a truly memorable experience. Just three weeks ago, I wouldn't have anticipated being able to sit on her within the next few months, so this is a huge accomplishment and a testament to her! How truly incredible is it that a prey animal with so much natural instinct can allow a person on their back with complete trust.

What an amazing two weeks it has been with Pippa! She has truly become my best friend, and the trust and communication we share are unlike anything I’ve experienced before. I deeply cherish and appreciate her, and I’m excited about our future together!

Over these two weeks, we’ve spent a lot of time exploring our paddocks and enjoying quiet, mindful moments together. Pippa has made significant strides in her groundwork, becoming less fearful of my movements and more receptive to their meaning, which helps her feel good. We’ve successfully tackled the challenge of making forward movement a positive experience for her. It took some time, but she now moves with energy without the previous sense of fear. This progress allows me to ask for increased energy or direction without causing her distress but rather confidence.

I’ve also been riding bareback when she’s ready, starting with basic commands like walking, turning, and stopping, primarily using my seat and voice. We’ve introduced the saddle and let the stirrups hang down, and we’ve begun exploring around the property, and to the arena. This was a major milestone, as it required us to navigate near human-made structures, which Pippa finds challenging. Despite her initial reactivity, she’s now stopping, thinking, and looking to me for guidance on her way to the arena.

Although Pippa’s fear of buildings, cars, and other man-made objects is still significant… There was a moment when I feared I might lose her during a walk near these things, but we managed to get through it, and I plan to continue exposing her gradually to these elements, ensuring positive experiences along the way. It was actually quite an eye opening experience as I have seen how quick she can be to react and run away and so the fact she actually relied on me to help her through and to stay with me despite how she felt was actually a positive although I would like her to be able to self manage these situations… that will come with time, learning to self regulate and good experiences.

Preparing for the environment at Equitana will be a significant challenge as well as floating so I will be starting preparing these elements so that she is as prepared as she can be.

In the arena, we started by relaxing and playing games before asking for more focused work. We’ve recently progressed to cantering on the lunge and had our first ride with the saddle, trotting around the arena. Pippa did an incredible job, and it was such a rewarding experience.

We are now starting more advanced groundwork and practicing new things to get ready for potential obstacles at the event, and we’re having a lot of fun in the process. I love how clearly Pippa communicates her feelings and how much she is showing me about being aware of my intention, energy and feeling from within. 

Excited for these next two weeks!

The past two weeks have been steady and productive. We’ve had a few more rides, and it’s been fun exploring the property together. Pippa quite likes yielding in hand, so I tried to transfer that to under saddle. At first, she found it challenging and a bit confusing, but by our next ride, she was offering it while I just asked her to walk straight. It seemed like she processed it overnight and was keen to give it a go.

We’re still working on cantering on the ground, focusing on going forward confidently and not from fear. We play a lot and take walks around the property, which is helping her build confidence around various obstacles. She’s doing a great job, though it can still be a challenge. Her float loading is going really well, but when I had someone nearby to help close the back, it was tough for her so there is lots to work on in this regard and being confident no matter if there are people around or other things happening around her. Pippa is still quite fearful of new people or movement around her and tends to feel like she needs to protect herself, though she’s made noticeable progress this past week.

I love getting to know her more and more and her wonderful personality, she has a lot of spark, is very smart and the sweetest nature. She really loves feeling proud of herself for achieving something and being able to figure things out.

She’s also had a couple of sessions with a body worker, which have been beneficial. I suspected an injury to her right hip, which the body worker confirmed, so we’re working on that.

The biggest challenge for me lately has been managing my own expectations with Pippa. Her mental and physical health, our relationship and her enjoyment are my top priorities, but balancing that with the preparations for Equitana—like being around other people, loading, riding, and navigating obstacles—can be tough. I tend to be hard on myself, striving to be the perfect partner for her. However, each day she shows me that we can figure this out together.

When I reflect on the past six weeks, it’s incredible how far we’ve come. Some of the things we’re doing now felt unimaginable then, so I need to remind myself that this is our unique journey.

Pippa and I have made great strides over the past two weeks. Her confidence has soared, and her float loading has significantly improved. After practicing loading, closing the float and taking short drives around our property, we enjoyed our first outing—a trail walk with a friend, both on foot and riding. Pippa handled the new experiences, including unfamiliar people, horses, buildings, and dogs, exceptionally well. Instead of shying away when nervous, she showed curiosity, which was wonderful to witness.

During the trail, she was adventurous and eager, and I even hopped on a few times. While she sometimes had her own great ideas about what we should do, she also followed my lead beautifully. We spent some lovely quiet moments relaxing in the grass, watching my friend and his horse do groundwork, and she seemed to really enjoy the outing.

I’m also relieved to report that all four of her feet are now properly trimmed. This was a challenge due to some hip issues and her previous lack of confidence in picking up her feet, especially one hind leg. We've been incorporating TTouch and awareness exercises, which have been very beneficial. I was cautious about riding until her feet were balanced, as I didn’t want to compromise her stability.

My farrier has been fantastic, and I’m grateful for the support from everyone on our team—bodyworker, family, saddle fitter, friends, etc.—who have shown immense patience and understanding. We’re now riding more consistently and even cantered under saddle for the first time! It was an incredible moment, and I can’t express how proud I am of her progress. She truly enjoys the feeling of achievement and empowerment.

Pippa has been on a couple more outings, each providing just the right amount of challenge, and it’s been amazing to see her tackle them with such confidence and enthusiasm. One highlight was a pole lesson, where I felt incredibly proud of her relaxed and attentive demeanor. She adapted to the new environment and jumped straight into the lesson as if she had done it many times before. It’s truly remarkable how taking each outing at a steady pace has skyrocketed her confidence.

On a sweet note, when I walk away/ when I am coming back while she’s tied up or eating, she nickers at me, which warms my heart. However, I've noticed some tenderness in her hooves since we’ve started riding more. Initially, she seemed off, hesitant, and communicated that something wasn't right. The farrier check her feet and the angles, have been having a body worker come out and after continuing some light training and trying to figure out what was going on all the indicators were pointing towards feet and we could see bruising and tentativeness on her feet. We decided on putting shoes on her for support in the coming weeks. I tried what I could to not need shoes as I prefer barefoot but this is the best option for her at this time.

I sincerely hope this experience of discomfort doesn’t dampen her willingness to learn or her trust in me but it hasn’t seemed like it so far… It has actually been incredible to witness her resilience; even when sore, she always gives her best effort, including during liberty riding, where she performed admirably while still signaling her unease.

With only three weeks until we leave for Equitana, and our progress being delayed, I’m concerned about our readiness for the challenge and knowing what she will be ready to do for our freestyle. However, the most important thing is that she feels comfortable and enjoys the process.

The past few weeks of Pippa's training have been both challenging and rewarding. After getting her shoes put on, we attended the Morisset show, which was the biggest venue we've been to so far. The event had a lot going on—rollercoasters, hundreds of horses, gazebos, different animals, and a lot of people. Pippa found it very overwhelming and struggled to settle. There wasn’t much I could do to help her initially, but through consistent groundwork, she eventually calmed down and started to relax, especially when she began focusing on her breathing.

Although I hadn't planned on entering the show classes hand if she wasn’t feeling up to it, we ended up competing and Pippa did wonderfully, even taking home 1st place! However, despite the success, her movement remains a concern. She’s still quite sore and uncomfortable, especially in her hindquarters. There’s been an ongoing issue with her hind end, and with the added discomfort from her feet, she’s been compensating and becoming even more stiff and sore.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve focused on bodywork, keeping her mobile with lots of walking, and developeda management/rehabplan. Pippa has improved during this time, and I’m now working on helping her body move more freely, which will, in turn, support her mental state. The more she tries to protect the areas that are stiff or sore, the worse it becomes, so I’m trying to encourage her to relax and trust her body again. We went on some outings to an obstacle course and local grounds which has helped in her rehab to keep her mind off her discomfort and more so on activities.

I’ve decided to delay any vet investigations until after Equitana, as the vet process would be stressful, especially since Pippa is still wary of new people. Although she’s become more closed off in recent weeks due to the pain, I’m starting to see her open up again, which is really encouraging.

The past four weeks have been slower due to the issues with her feet and pelvis, which has set us back, but I’m incredibly proud of how Pippa shows up every day and continues to do her best. I didn’t think the finals at equitana would be possible but with her improvement so far it might be but will have to adjust to what she can do. I can’t believe Equitana is only a couple of weeks away!