Beyond the Boundary
Host: Mystery Park
Written by Tess Camm – Owner, Mystery Park.
Working on a property, it is so easy to get caught up in the daily activities and not look beyond the boundary fence. Don’t mistake my passion for life in the bush one second, I just believe in taking outside opportunities and gaining as many different experiences as possible.
Everyday we are surrounded by such a stimulating environment, which constantly challenges us physically, mentally, and emotionally. Young Adelaide, at five years of age is experiencing the trials and triumphs of learning to ride independently. Her horse, Holly, is exponentially bigger and stronger, and often resists Adelaide’s requests.
Adelaide learns to stick to her guns and although she occasionally loses the battle, she will eventually win the war!
Skip ahead a few years to Andrew, who at age 10 still loves wrestling with his little brothers, and can capably ride the ‘Grown up horses’.
Through his eyes, progress and growing up include riding younger and going to boarding school. Take for example a day where I was riding a fresh breaker (young horse only just introduced to being ridden) mustering. After the mustering job was done, my young horse was tired and relaxed about everything. I asked Andrew to close the gate behind the cattle and we started to ride back to the truck, which was only a twenty minute trot away. Full of cheek, Andrew claimed that it wasn’t fair that he had to get the gate because I was on a young horse.
Imagine his surprise when I stopped my horse, pulled my saddle off and asked him to do the same. Used to the sibling rivalry and jokes we play, he rolled his eyes at me . . . Big mistake! I swiftly unbuckled his girth and began to remove his saddle with him still aboard. He yelled and laughed and hopped off. We re-saddled our respective horses, and he grinned nervously as he stepped on his first breaker. We set off trotting back to the truck, and Andrew grinned as he was one step closer to achieving his goal of having ridden every horse on ‘Mystery Park’. His next progression is Boarding school next year.
So how do we as adults continue to progress and learn at a similar rate to what children do? I feel it is important to constantly expose ourselves to new challenges, goals and experiences.
At ‘Mystery Park’, our latest was hosting Central Station this past week, and we’ve thoroughly enjoyed sharing about life in our part of the world with you!
