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Julie, Georgie and Bronte are riding the Tasmanian Trail! |
Julie Broome and her daughters Georgie (aged 14 - seen above riding the grey) and Bronte (aged 11, standing next to the bay) have just set off to ride the Tasmanian Trail.
Their horses are (left to right) Fury, a 15-year-old thoroughbred, Charlie, an Arab also aged 15, Jack, a stock-horse aged 19, and Jimmy Bob, a Quarter Horse aged 15.
We wish them Godspeed and hope they have an exciting and safe journey.
February 2006
| Hello there, We made It!! We are now home and all the horses and kids and mum are very well!! I feel very humbled when I read some of the accounts on your site. The roads are indeed arduous enough when travelled with horses and kids but your members who travel through apparently hostile countries (only due to lack of familiarity of rules and regulations with horses) is amazing compared to the great treatment we receive in Australia. |
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Our adventure was fantastic, the girls learnt about endurance and perseverance, there was a lot of frustration due to the length of the days, so we all learnt patience. The horses were fantastic. Our 3 riding horses who we have had for a long time just kept plugging on; they never had a wobbly, never said "No we won't be saddled today" or "we won't go up another hill." The pack horse Charlie who was new to us at the beginning proved to be the most beautiful horse.. he just did anything asked of him. It was a fabulous feeling ... feeling safe and comfortable that the horses we had would just do it!. The kids at times felt frustrated because we were slower than what they were used to but they endured with a smile and a giggle sometimes! when Georgie said after the 4th day ..."God Mum how on earth did they discover Australia like this?" Of course I said "Very slowly!" Comments through the ride were of great value: it meant the girls were thinking of how things happened and that all things don't come from a supermarket! Travelling through Tasmania was spectacular. The guide book we were supposed to follow was at times not correct and certain campsites were unavailable so we relied on local people who were into trekking and horses to find campsites - all fabulous. Everything went very smoothly until 3 days before the end my horse Jack stood on a glass bottle on the side of the road and ruptured an artery on top of his pastern. This needed a few days to rest so with great local support we paddocked the horses until all was well and then just continued on.
Our story is one of quietly managing the day's
routines and horses and kids and talking to local people and trying to network
to make things work - otherwise it wouldn't happen. The great thing about
travelling with horses ..is that people actually want to help (at least
in Australia!!) Cheers and thanks for your contact and help.
Cheers Julie
Congratulations on a safe and happy end to your adventure!