The trip was as to be expected–LONG–but uneventful and I landed safely in Auckland and hit the ground running!  I spent a few days with friends from the States who now live in a village outside Auckland called Maraetai.  There, I enjoyed soaking in the culture, the sun, and the beach!  After 4 days I headed to Matamata to meet Job, my New Zealand contact, and “Zibu,” the foundation Stallion of Chrialka Stud, who has been under Job’s care and training.  The next day I caught a bus to Napier, the Art Deco capitol of NZ, to meet Liz and to head to the farm.

The stud is located in Hawkes Bay, outside of Napier and Hastings.  Virtually surrounded by vineyards, It is an expansive 2,500 acres of rolling hills, home to sheep, cattle, and of course the stud’s budding sport horses.  I was quickly acquainted with the 20+ equines on the property, ranging in age from a few months to 6 years.  The first week was light as the cattle were in the yards being scanned for pregnancy and the weather was a bit wet, but Liz and I got to riding and bringing a few horses back into work.  I also got to go out with Mark Nelson to muster some of the cattle!  Next came bringing in all the horses for handling, drenching, a little mane tidying, and then back out to new paddocks.  Liz also took me out on a few hacks to explore some of the farm, and let me tell you it goes on for days!

Now we have 5 horses in work under saddle on a daily basis, with a few to come in to be backed and trained in the coming weeks, including a 4 year old stallion!  A few of the horses are just green broke and I will be working with them from the ground as well as from the saddle to bring them along and continue their training.  Liz and I have also taken a few of the further along horses to dressage lessons to improve our schooling.  We also look forward to taking them to a few competitions in the upcoming months.

Last weekend I had the opportunity to attend the Dressage Championships in Taupo to watch some stellar riding.  I also got to help out as a “writer,” recording scores and comments for the judges as competitors rode their tests.  It was a neat way to feel like part of the action while not actually competing.  Next week is the Horse of the Year Show in Hastings, which will host some 2,600 horses and riders for 6 days of competition and celebration.  Liz and I will be manning a tent to represent and promote the stud, as well as watching some of the top competition in the Southern Hemisphere.

As it is just Liz and I working with the horses, each day is full of work, riding, tending to the horses, and of course fun.  It has also been a unique look into what it is like to own and run an equine business.  I look forward to the next few months as the horses and I continue to work and learn, and as I get to see more of the beautiful country!  In addition to my stud stay, I also hope to do a few of the areas well known walks, and go on a wine tour as Hawkes bay is one of the premiere wine producing areas in New Zealand.

I have greatly enjoyed my first 3 weeks in New Zealand and look forward to 11 more!

Kristen

If you’re interested in an Equine Internship in New Zealand like Annette’s, visit the Equine Internships page for details on the programme and to check out example placements available.

Alternatively you can call the experts on Australia and New Zealand internships on 0207 353 7699 to have a chat about an internship for you.

Name: Laura

From: United Kingdom

Studied at: Warwickshire College

Studied: City and Guilds in horse care

Currently in: Masterton, New Zealand

For how long: 3-4 Months

Laura was in New Zealand on a trip when she applied for her equine internship. Laura was in Auckland and trying to find a way of using her equine qualifications from Moreton Morrell. We managed to place Laura onto a fantastic stud farm in Masterton, New Zealand.

When Laura applied she said she was obviously very passionate about horses. Laura’s personal statement was:

Horses are my life. I have had a horse since I was two years old and I have been riding ever since in different areas such as competing horse trials, polo ponies, hunting, hunter trials, dressage and show jumping…My long term goal is to run my own yard and compete other people´s horses”.

The placement we have found for Laura will certainly give her all the experience she needs to find out if this is what she wants to do in the future. We understand Laura’s first two days were very eventful but tiring with 7 mares covered in one day.

We look forward to finding out how Laura is going in New Zealand, it is coming into summer and the Christmas period so the perfect time to arrive in New Zealand and start work in a very beautiful part of New Zealand.

All the best Laura!

If you’re interested in an equine internship in New Zealand like Laura’s then click through to our Equine Internships page for programme details and example placements.

Travelling to NZ was the longest and most boring journey ever, but I arrived here in one piece and am having an amazing time NZ reminds me a bit of Ireland, not many people, lots of fields and cows, lots of rain in spring! Make sure you pack clothes for every sort of weather – since I’ve been here it’s been rainy, sunny, windy and frosty!

A typical day begins around 7am when we have to get up and feed out, maybe even moving the herd of horses to a different paddock to graze. Back to the house for breakfast (a big big breakfast is needed!) then back out to the yard by 9 to start cleaning out boxes, moving the stallions to their paddocks and changing silage and water.

Then the training begins. At the start, I worked with two very well-trained horses to practise my Natural Horsemanship techniques. Since then I’ve started riding the geldings, experimenting with bareback riding which (I’ve discovered) is fantastic for abs! Lunch is usually around 2pm then back outside for more training. There’s never a shortage of jobs to do on a farm – horses have to be brushed, paddocks rotated, constructing fences, general maintenance work, feeding…the list goes on! Recently a new foal was born and another one is due next week, we’ve also been artificially inseminating the mares in season so there’s plenty to do!

The day ends around 6pm and then its back to the house to cook dinner, everyone mucks in, then relaxing for the rest of the evening.

Out of work, there is lots to do in the surrounding area. I’ve visited the hot mineral spa at Te Aroha with the girls which was absolute bliss, and reasonably priced. I’ve got plans to skydive, go to a Waikato rugby match in Hamilton, bungy jump in Rotorua and visit a traditional Maori village all before I leave. I’ve travelled up the Coromandel Peninsula to pick up some mares, and the scenery was absolutely beautiful, even if it was chucking it down!

The people are great too, it’s so good to travel halfway around the world and still find great people. Tina runs the stud and trains and competes the horses, then there’s Naho from Japan who, like me, is gaining valuable work experience. Jenny is a German Intern who left a few weeks ago to go travelling but is returning at Christmas. Everyone has made me feel very welcome, we have a great laugh together.

This Internship is a lot of hard work, but it’s so rewarding when you make progress with a difficult horse, definitely puts a smile on your face! The first month has gone by so quickly, can’t believe I only have two left before I have to return to the UK!

If you’re interested in an Equine Internship in New Zealand like Annette’s, visit the Equine Internships page for details on the programme and to check out example placements available.

Alternatively you can call the experts on Australia and New Zealand internships on 0207 353 7699 to have a chat about an internship for you.

Name: Annette

From: United Kingdom

Currently in: Matamata, New Zealand

For how long: 3-4 internship

To see more about the duties and work Annette is doing on her Equine internship, see the company and position description for more details: New Zealand Equine Internship

We had the pleasure of meeting Annette and her dad before she applied for the New Zealand equine programme. Annette said when she appiled that she loves the outdoors and working with animals. One of her biggest things sporting wise, was to see some live New Zealand rugby games being a huge fan.

Well what better country to go to if you like the outdoors than New Zealand. I might be a bit bias being from New Zealand, but Annette will have a fantastic time.

We have had a couple of updates on how Annette is going, but she is going to write something for the blog to update everyone on how New Zealand and the horses at her stud farm are treating her.

So I will leave the update to Annette in the next week or so. We are getting a lot of interest in the New Zealand Equine Programme, so I’m sure Annette’s placement will be followed closely by many.

If you’re interested in an equine internship in New Zealand like Annette’s then click through to our Equine Internships page for programme details and example placements.