The eleventh of our 15 combinations that will be competing in the ULTRA-MOX STALLIONS AND PROFESSIONALS competition at Equidays is ELLEN BENNETT and GRIFF.
Ellen’s second stallion, Griff, is a stocky bay about 14.1hh and 5-years -old He is very sociable and a bit of a peacock. He initially seemed the braver of the two, coming up to investigate people within the first few days. But although he was the first to initiate contact and seemed the boldest we soon realised he was mostly just bravado and hot air!
Underneath his Big Man of The Herd facade, he is a gentle and sweet horse, who gets most of his confidence from those around him. He forges ahead when it’s easy-going, but if something is difficult or gives him a reason to pause he takes longer to overcome it. He is now relishing in the things he has “mastered” and taking his time with more difficult exercises. He is laying down a solid foundation of confidence to back up his bolshy bravado persona.
“The thing I have enjoyed the most while working with these two very different horses is watching their unique personalities unfold. I chose the names Griff, meaning “Fierce” and Lowen, meaning “Like a lion” to honor these horses Exmoor and Welsh heritage (two of the ancestral breeds of the Kaimanawas).” – Ellen
ABOUT ELLEN (of Ellen Bennett Horsemanship):
Ellen has enjoyed working with and learning from thousands of horses and riders in her career. She has worked with many feral, unhandled and “problem” horses and now has the privilege to train two wild Kaimanawa stallions. Her approach is centered around giving each horse what they need to feel safe and keep their personality and love of life intact, through the sometimes difficult transition from life in the wild to domestication.
Ellen’s love of horses began as a child, traveling and living with her parents throughout North America, and Europe. She spent her days at local stables, learning and competing in dressage, equitation, games, hunter-jumper, show jumping, eventing and more. Her journey with natural horsemanship began 25 years ago when she met and trained with experts like Tom Dorrance and Merv Kildey, realising the true significance of integrity and empathy in the practice of horsemanship. In New Zealand her work evolved into owning riding schools, trekking operations, running clinics, buying, selling, and breeding horses.
Today she combines the lessons learnt from a lifetime of experience, across a diverse range of disciplines, in her work with horses and horse people. Her focus is always on engaging the horse to become a willing participant in their work and to grow in confidence and spirit, by building a relationship based on clear, compassionate communication.
For more information about our sponsor Ultra-Mox visit Bayer NZ Equine or http://www.bayeranimal.co.nz
