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Yay there are riders who ski here!

Moleski

Certified Ski Diva
He is gorgeous. Love ex-racehorses and greatly admire those who event. I live beside a couple of Eventing Ireland courses and get to see all u very brave eventers in action. Have you young ones in training? Also where do you ski in Australia? I hope to ski in the Southern hemisphere at some point though was thinking of NZ rather than Australia. Lastly, do u know anything about Prof Andrew McClean and the Equitation Science unit run by him. Thinking of doing their Diploma as have some of his books and looks really good. Thanks for replying yo my post M
 
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Skidreamer

Certified Ski Diva
Hiya again Moleski. I'm really at the tail end of jumping of any description, being 55 and having lost my nerve with jumping higher after a long break. But we did place at our last little event a few years ago, and that was more than enough for me. I am enjoying having a break from all the seriousness of competing and training. Heading into winter here is a good time to be free of the commitments of horses that is for sure, and gives me more time and money for skiing. Yes I am looking half heartedly for the next horse. He will have to be young, around 15 hands, and quiet. I won't settle for anything else. I figure if I get one around 5 years old, he might last another 25 years and if I make it that long also, I'll be 80. It's enough. And I hope he can grow old with my daughter's pony, who is only about 10, so may well have another 30+ years left.

I most certainly do know a bit about Andrew McLean. I had an initially very difficult anglo arab 20 years ago who really tested me as a young horse. I had to research all sorts of options to get him sorted out and some of Andrew McLean's methods really helped. I have his book somewhere. He is very well known and respected here in Australia, and rightly so. I managed to totally sort out my anglo and he is now a very well adjusted and well educated 22 year old, retired with the TB :smile:

Where do we ski in Australia? We have only a small area to play with! I ski at Perisher, the largest resort in Australia, which is near the capital city of Canberra. We have a number of other resorts nearby in New South Wales, and then also in the high country in Victoria. Not too far from Andrew McLean ;)

Skiing in NZ is very hit and miss these days, thanks to global warming. Australia is also affected but continues to chug along a little better so far, surprisingly...
 

Moleski

Certified Ski Diva
Hiya again Moleski. I'm really at the tail end of jumping of any description, being 55 and having lost my nerve with jumping higher after a long break. But we did place at our last little event a few years ago, and that was more than enough for me. I am enjoying having a break from all the seriousness of competing and training. Heading into winter here is a good time to be free of the commitments of horses that is for sure, and gives me more time and money for skiing. Yes I am looking half heartedly for the next horse. He will have to be young, around 15 hands, and quiet. I won't settle for anything else. I figure if I get one around 5 years old, he might last another 25 years and if I make it that long also, I'll be 80. It's enough. And I hope he can grow old with my daughter's pony, who is only about 10, so may well have another 30+ years left.

I most certainly do know a bit about Andrew McLean. I had an initially very difficult anglo arab 20 years ago who really tested me as a young horse. I had to research all sorts of options to get him sorted out and some of Andrew McLean's methods really helped. I have his book somewhere. He is very well known and respected here in Australia, and rightly so. I managed to totally sort out my anglo and he is now a very well adjusted and well educated 22 year old, retired with the TB :smile:

Where do we ski in Australia? We have only a small area to play with! I ski at Perisher, the largest resort in Australia, which is near the capital city of Canberra. We have a number of other resorts nearby in New South Wales, and then also in the high country in Victoria. Not too far from Andrew McLean ;)

Skiing in NZ is very hit and miss these days, thanks to global warming. Australia is also affected but continues to chug along a little better so far, surprisingly...
V glad to hear about your success with your Anglo-arab. I don't have behaviuoral issues with my girl but she isn't terribly balanced esp right canter. We are a case of green +green though I'm not black n blue yet thank goodness! I'm interested in the course as I'm late to horses and have little grounding in training methods. I have a great friend and instructor but she's very intuitive, having been around horses since childhood; she always knows what to do but sometimes it's so obvious to her that I can't understand what she means. I have a couple of the books and wd like to explore more. My neighbour is a Parelli instructor and has helped me an awful.lot but the Parelli methods, esp riding, are a bit western orientated for me. I'm older than you at 56 but I don't plan to jump at all as I think being off the ground is just one variable too many! I also wear an air-jacket all the time in case of middle-aged wobbles (me not mare).
Surprised and disappointed about nz skiing - snow can be sketchy in Europe but usually OK in higher resorts. I have friends in Sydney and have visited twice in 1994 and 2005, but they don't ski. I went riding in centennial Park on my last visit tho! Wd love to ski in either NZ or Australia but likely the travel wd eat up the whole budget.
You never know tho - diploma students have to do a practical attachment- tho being realistic, I'm more likely to do here in Ireland as Prof McClean seems to have a collaborator who is a vet and animal behaviourist living here.
I really hope you find a lovely youngster who is exactly what you want for the next 25y! All the best m
 

AJM

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Just came across this thread:smile:
I used to ride when I was younger (read MUCH younger) but like @Eera I too lost my nerve. I had a wonderful ex racehorse and used to compete on him but sadly we both had a nasty fall on a cross country jump and he landed on me. I was unharmed and luckily so was he but after that I completely lost my nerve and after a while I gave it up.
Over the years I've toyed with "getting back on the horse !!" but have never really committed to it and lets face it, its very expensive $$$$.
I've occasionally ridden since then but have never found the passion I once had.
 

Eera

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Over the years I've toyed with "getting back on the horse !!" but have never really committed to it and lets face it, its very expensive $$$$.
I've occasionally ridden since then but have never found the passion I once had.
Oh bless you. I get by, by reading a lot of Jilly Cooper and creating an alternative horsey world in my head. Would love to be fully immersed in that universe once more like I was as a teen, but let's face it - life just gets in the way.
 

VickiK

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I recently joined a Facebook group called Between The Ears. The photos posted from New Zealand & Australia are always spectacular but then so are so many other places. It's worth exploring if you use FB.
 
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Magnatude

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Skiing in NZ is very hit and miss these days, thanks to global warming. Australia is also affected but continues to chug along a little better so far, surprisingly...
Former rider-in-my-youth here too. Used to compete in dressage on my Anglo-Arab park hack (ie sub 15hh). Pretty much gave up when I went to uni. Do the odd trek every few years now, just to feed the craving a little bit. Would love to have horses again, but just not practical when I live in a city.

Also, not sure if I should take issue with the above quote or not. I've never skied in Australia, and maybe climate change hasn't had as much impact there, though I can't think why. But nor is it that bad here in NZ, at least not yet. I wouldn't describe it as hit and miss. Variable for sure, but not especially marginal (yes, Mt Ruapehu had a shocker season last year, but that was unusual). South Island ski fields have had at least adequate coverage in recent years, interspersed with good dumps. And more Aussies than ever are coming to NZ for ski holidays.
 

AJM

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Former rider-in-my-youth here too. Used to compete in dressage on my Anglo-Arab park hack (ie sub 15hh). Pretty much gave up when I went to uni. Do the odd trek every few years now, just to feed the craving a little bit. Would love to have horses again, but just not practical when I live in a city.

Also, not sure if I should take issue with the above quote or not. I've never skied in Australia, and maybe climate change hasn't had as much impact there, though I can't think why. But nor is it that bad here in NZ, at least not yet. I wouldn't describe it as hit and miss. Variable for sure, but not especially marginal (yes, Mt Ruapehu had a shocker season last year, but that was unusual). South Island ski fields have had at least adequate coverage in recent years, interspersed with good dumps. And more Aussies than ever are coming to NZ for ski holidays.
I'm pleased you jumped in here ! I've been stewing about that comment and wasnt sure how to respnd.
In my mind NZ is no more hit and miss than anywhere else in the world (look at Europe early season) and we had a fantastic season last year esp in the Sth Island despite getting rinsed half way through.
Ruapehu was in a league of its own sadly, my son decided he'd patrol there for the season and what a mistake that was !
 

Skidreamer

Certified Ski Diva
I don't have behaviuoral issues with my girl but she isn't terribly balanced esp right canter. We are a case of green +green though I'm not black n blue yet thank goodness!
It took me 6 months to get a right canter lead out of the thoroughbred back in our early days. But once we got it, he was very proud to display it to me at every opportunity, even when not called for lol
 

Skidreamer

Certified Ski Diva
Former rider-in-my-youth here too. Used to compete in dressage on my Anglo-Arab park hack (ie sub 15hh). Pretty much gave up when I went to uni. Do the odd trek every few years now, just to feed the craving a little bit. Would love to have horses again, but just not practical when I live in a city.

Also, not sure if I should take issue with the above quote or not. I've never skied in Australia, and maybe climate change hasn't had as much impact there, though I can't think why. But nor is it that bad here in NZ, at least not yet. I wouldn't describe it as hit and miss. Variable for sure, but not especially marginal (yes, Mt Ruapehu had a shocker season last year, but that was unusual). South Island ski fields have had at least adequate coverage in recent years, interspersed with good dumps. And more Aussies than ever are coming to NZ for ski holidays.
Yes I was thinking more about Mt Ruapehu last year, that was a terrible year for that resort. Had several friends report back on their ski experiences around Queenstown last year as pretty abysmal, but that may just have been the unfortunate timing of when they were there. I had a ski holiday booked for NZ for this year but based on feedback decided to cancel. I haven't been there in years in all fairness. How is it looking this year, I think there have been some good early falls already? Here in Australia we're looking at having almost nothing skiable for the upcoming long weekend opening in mid June. So I think you guys are starting off in a much better position than we! Australia is very affected by climate change, I don't think that can reasonably be contested.

I am a great fan of the anglos! My mum also had one, we just had him put down a couple of months ago at age 28. I did put an offer in on an outstanding small anglo a few months ago but the owner wants a top level serious showing home for him, which sadly I'm not.
 
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AJM

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
Yes I was thinking more about Mt Ruapehu last year, that was a terrible year for that resort. Had several friends report back on their ski experiences around Queenstown last year as pretty abysmal, but that may just have been the unfortunate timing of when they were there. I had a ski holiday booked for NZ for this year but based on feedback decided to cancel. I haven't been there in years in all fairness. How is it looking this year, I think there have been some good early falls already? Here in Australia we're looking at having almost nothing skiable for the upcoming long weekend opening in mid June. So I think you guys are starting off in a much better position than we!
The snow has been coming and going, the temps have been super warm and everyones got their fingers crossed for El Nino (or is it La Nina???) to kick in. Quite big snow forecast for Sunday and into next week but not sure if its going to hang around or get rinsed away. No panic yet though as its still super early. It only takes one good storm and its on !!!
To be honest it sounds like Queenstown was shambolic last year mainly due to the transport etc. There are so many better ski experiences over here that are worth investigating so please dont give up on us :ski:
 

Magnatude

Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I think most of the issues in Queenstown arose from the lack of housing for workers, including bus drivers. Add in a bit of a Covid surge and the bus service really struggled. That led to more cars going up the mountain, carparks filling too quickly, and ultimately roads closing by 10.30am. Tourists who didn't have rental cars were having to plead for rides on social media. The Covid issue mightn't be as bad this year, hopefully, but the housing problem hasn't gone anywhere. Tweaks have been made to the bus services this year that might help, as long as there are enough drivers!

Snow-wise, I think it was a decent year, though I didn't get to sample much of it after an early injury. As has always been the case, the best snow is late July to early September. Unfortunately that doesn't align with school holidays, in either NZ or Australia. So families on a ski holiday will rarely get great snow. Thank goodness for snowmaking!
 

horsepowered

Certified Ski Diva
Just bumping this thread to say hi, and introduce my crew: Owen, retired eventer, and Cricket, dressage diva in training. Both OTTBs.

My skiing improved dramatically when I realized that separating my upper and lower body was essentially just having an independent seat, on skis.
 

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