
Horse Trekking Course – Trek 1, 2021 – Back in the saddle
ANZAC Day is a time of remembrance and camaraderie for many veterans; with emotions running high as they reflect on their service and the service of those who came before them. For Max, ANZAC Day 2021 had an added layer of tense anticipation – as he and the team at Spur Ranch prepared for the first trek of 2021.
Like many other programs and services across Australia, Spur’s equine courses, including horse handling and trekking, were put on hold throughout most of 2020. Now, with horse handling courses running smoothly again, it was time for Max and the team to tackle a new challenge – reintroducing the trek spanning two intense weeks; week 1: training at the ranch, week 2: trekking the Snowy Mountains.
Week 1 – Ranch training
The first step in ranch training was horse allocation – getting the veterans in the round yard and observing their reaction with the horses. “Some riders will naturally gravitate to a particular horse and vice versa,” says Max, “you want to observe their interactions with the horses, are they comfortable? Do they have a good connection?”
Among the five participants on the course was Pennie. Pennie had joined the course to help with her own mental wellbeing, but also had a number of physical injuries that limited her capabilities – or so she thought.
“Previously I had done a lot of equine therapy to help with my mental health and then I found the 2-day horse handling course” recalls Pennie. “I completed that and loved how much time I got to spend with the horses…so I could not wait to do the trek.”
Another participant, Nigel, grew up on a farm and rode horses before he had joined the army. “The trek meant I got to do something on my bucket list with like-minded people,” he recalls.
The first few days of training were spent developing the groups riding skills. From there, they were taken to a more challenging environment with thicker bushland, steep creek crossings and wildlife. This is done to properly assess participants’ preparedness for the trek.
“The students persevered when the horses were uncertain about difficult spaces,” recalls Max. “My two highlights of the ranch training were everyone’s positive attitude when they first arrived, and how well they all did on the intermediate test ride – their strength and resilience helped overcome difficult obstacles in a very short space of time.”
For Pennie, the highlight was learning so much about the horses and their care. “It wasn’t just get on and ride; having to be involved in every aspect of caring for the horses as well as all the riding training was really interesting. The riding training pushed me out of my comfort zone on many occasions and went a long way to challenging beliefs I have about my own abilities.”
Week 2 – The trek
After an intense week of training, and a rest over the weekend, the group were ready for the trek. When they arrived in the Snowy Mountains, the first priority was to set up base camp – including building portable horse yards, exercising the horses and feeding them. The horses needed to acclimate to the new environment and the initial set up was made more challenging by heavy rain fall.
“We were hit by quite serious weather throughout the trek” recalls Max, “this meant we had to reassess our itinerary”. Due to the weather, the team had to shuffle the different rides around, accommodating for the changing weather and how long they could be out riding before they needed to turn back due to worsening conditions. This meant day one’s trek, the challenge ride, was postponed and replaced with a shorter ride.
Due to the heavy rain and blustering wind, the group spent a lot of time under the marquee, hunkered down with the campfire and stove going. “This time all huddled together allowed us to do a few different team building exercises” says Max. “These little games kept our spirits up and helped distract from the cold.”
Breaks in the weather on day two meant the group could take a two-hour trek through the back trails. “It’s a beautiful park” says Nigel, while recounting his time in the Snowy Mountains, “seeing it on horseback is incredible, just an amazing experience”.
Day three saw some better weather and meant the postponed challenge ride was back on – a highlight for Pennie. “Spending six hours in the saddle was a lot to ask of my body, but the adrenaline and pure happiness of just being with the horse and doing something I never thought I would be able to do made it absolutely exhilarating. Even when I had doubts about my ability, the staff would encourage and talk me through what I needed to do, it helped get me out of my head and back in the moment to achieve everything.”
For Nigel, it almost felt like being back in the army. “We worked as a team, if we saw a job that needed doing, we got stuck in and did it.”
Resilience is key
Looking back at the whole experience, Max was very proud of both the Spur team who helped guide the group, and the participants who rose to the challenge. “Whether they realise it or not, they were able to build on their personal resilience and experience new learning opportunities vastly different to anything they had done before.”
When asked what she took away from the experience, Pennie said, “for me, being with the horses is my little dose of happiness. Spending so much time with them, learning so much about them and how to care for them was brilliant, but more than that I learnt a lot about myself and my ability. When my anxiety was high, it was reflected in how the horse responded to me, so to enable me to get through the tasks, I had to ground myself. I still hear the team in my head breathing out the word ‘relax’, and it may sound funny, but I use it in everyday life now.
For Nigel, conquering the challenge with fellow veterans was really special. “Getting to go away with a group of people like that and then remaining friends is very beneficial. You’re doing it with a group that understands veterans – Max and the team do a wonderful job making people feel welcome.”
This Spur Trek was proudly supported by the Veterans Benevolent Fund, the charitable arm of the RSL & Services Club Association.
If you or a veteran you know would like to take part in future treks, you need to register for one of our upcoming 2-day horse handling courses.
Blog Posts

3 Mar 2023
Message from our CEO celebrating International Women’s Day
Good morning everyone, Today, on International Women’s Day, we take the opportunity to celebrate the contribution made by the...

6 Jun 2022
Vale Walter Williams OAM
RSL LifeCare staff and residents alike have been deeply saddened to learn of the passing of long – time...

5 May 2022
Giving our nurses a voice to lead
Today, on International Nurses Day (IND) we shine a light on our nursing staff and their vital work. Our nurses...
4 Apr 2022
RSL LifeCare Veteran Services – one team supporting veterans and their families
The delivery of Veteran Services has been core to RSL LifeCare since its beginnings over 100 years ago. Now,...

3 Mar 2022
How the RSL Veterans’ Employment Program helps veterans find work
Transitioning to a different career is not always easy for veterans returning to civilian life. The RSL Veterans’ Employment...
11 Nov 2021
RSL LifeCare Annual Report 2021
I am pleased to advise that the 2021 RSL LifeCare Annual Report is now available. This annual report is...
10 Oct 2021
Rapid Antigen Test kits now available to Aged Care providers.
The Department of Health is offering Rapid Antigen Test kits to aged care providers across NSW in high-risk Local...

8 Aug 2021
Aged Care Employee Day is a day to thank everyone at RSL LifeCare.
7th August is Aged Care Employee Day. This is a day for us to thank every person who works...

7 Jul 2021
World War 2 code breaker Marion Painter features in Sky News documentary
ANZAC Village, Narrabeen resident Marion Painter has featured in Sky News documentary, The Alliance, about her time as a...

6 Jun 2021
Aged care workers should be vaccinated on site.
AGED care provider, RSL LifeCare, have applauded the Australian Government for their decision to mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for staff...

3 Mar 2016
Laughter is the best medicine
Laughter releases endorphins, giving us the ‘feel good factor’ Acts as aerobic exercise and is like ‘internal jogging’ Unleashes...

5 May 2016
A healthy diet for a healthy heart
Valentine’s Day saw people thinking of love and things of the heart and we thought it would be a...

10 Oct 2016
Pets and Positive Ageing
Animals play an important role in our lives. As Community Staff, we are blessed to see the bonds that...

More from the blog
Latest News
Meet Alan Buxton – RSL LifeCare resident and World War II veteran
103-year-old RSL LifeCare resident Alan Buxton has led a life of courage and service. His father served in World War I, and Alan followed in...
Read moreMessage from our CEO celebrating International Women’s Day
Good morning everyone, Today, on International Women's Day, we take the opportunity to celebrate the contribution made by the incredible women of RSL LifeCare and...
Read moreState-of-the-art Nowra Veteran Wellbeing Centre now open to veterans and their families
RSL LifeCare has officially opened its purpose built, state-of-the-art facility to permanently house the Nowra Veteran Wellbeing Centre, providing an expanded range of health and...
Read moreRSL LifeCare’s Response to Federal Budget
RSL LifeCare has welcomed the Australian Government’s commitment in additional support and funding across Aged Care and Veterans’ Services as part of the October 2022...
Read moreRSL LifeCare welcomes new CEO
Media Release 21 September 2022 RSL LifeCare has welcomed a new CEO this week, with the appointment of experienced and entrepreneurial business leader, Janet Muir. ...
Read moreFee-free certified training for veterans or their partners across NSW with JobTrainer
In collaboration with Training Services NSW through their JobTrainer program, RSL LifeCare Veteran Services is providing access to four certification programs across hospitality, business, leadership...
Read moreAccess to fee-free certified training with the JobTrainer pilot program
In collaboration with Training Services NSW through their JobTrainer program, RSL LifeCare Veteran Services are piloting access to three certification programs across business, leadership and...
Read moreLakes of Cherrybrook
As a part-owner of ‘Lakes of Cherrybrook,’ RSL LifeCare is aware of some building and maintenance issues raised by a small number of Strata owners...
Read moreVale Walter Williams OAM
RSL LifeCare staff and residents alike have been deeply saddened to learn of the passing of long - time ANZAC Village resident and respected RSL...
Read moreGiving our nurses a voice to lead
Today, on International Nurses Day (IND) we shine a light on our nursing staff and their vital work. Our nurses are a core part of RSL...
Read moreHugh Cunningham Gardens welcomes Australian Defence Force support
RSL LifeCare has welcomed the support of Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel at Hugh Cunningham Gardens residential aged care home at Tura Beach. The 15-person...
Read moreConstruction Begins on Permanent Nowra Veteran Wellbeing Centre
Construction has begun on a new purpose built, state-of-the-art facility to permanently house the Nowra Veteran Wellbeing Centre, providing an expanded range of health and...
Read more