Diggers Rest horses come in all shapes and sizes, but all of our trekking horses have a few things in common. Firstly, our horses get along well on the trail, so there’s very little kicking or biting going on during our treks…of course, it does help when riders keep their mounts’ noses away from other horses’ bums.

Our horses have a long spell during the wet season, so they come back fresh at the beginning of the dry and ready to work. Because these horses don’t travel the same routes repeatedly, day in and day out, they keep an interest in things and don’t go sour on us.

A horse that has a look and thinks about what it’s coming up to is always  a great quality to have in a trekking horse. Some of our horses lean this way more than others, and the ones that do make the best lead horses. A willingness partnered with this thoughtfulness is even better. All of our horses are willing, so they are quite happy to walk, trot and canter when asked.

The country that we explore on our treks varies, and can be fairly rough in places, so a sure-footed steed is a must. The horses learn early on because they live here, so we just let them pick their way when the going gets rough, and they carry us through.

Patience is another trait that we like to have in our horses, and we encourage this from the get go. They learn that standing is a good restful thing, and it does come in handy when riding in a group. We especially like for our horses to stand when we come to waterholes, so that all of them have ample opportunity for a drink.

Each of our horses has strengths and weaknesses, but as a whole they are incredible animals that try time and again to do the right thing by us. Every season I am amazed by and in awe of them.