• Diploma Herbal Medicine
• E.F.A./N.C.A.S. Level 2 Dressage
• Certificate of Horse Studies
• Member - Australian Traditional Medicine Society

 

The essential basis for a successful practitioner-client relationship is confidence. A client wants, and deserves, to have the assurance that they are consulting a practitioner with the training, experience and heart to give expert care to their animals.

 

Let me introduce myself to you...

 

My herbal medicine training was completed under the tutelage of the eminent Australian herbalist, teacher and author, Dorothy Hall, and I have been a practising equine herbalist since 1997.

I am an accredited Level 2 Dressage Instructor with the Equestrian Federation of Australia, which includes a Certificate of Horse Studies providing education in equine anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, nutrition, psychology and exercise physiology.

During 2000 I authored and published The Practical Horse Herbal a handbook for horse owners. It is now into is third reprinting and has sold 7,000 copies. A new revised edition is planned for 2008.

I am a regular contributor to Horse Deals Magazine as well as writing articles for various other publications. I also have an internet forum on http://www.horsepoint.com.au.

My treatment philosophy is to acknowledge each horse is an individual and to treat them holistically, taking into account his or her personality, physical characteristics, temperament, behaviour, environment, history, owner's goals and any veterinary diagnosis. For more details on my consulting service please see the consultations and workshops pages, and for a list of the common problems which have been seen to benefit from my treatments visit the Herbs can Benefit page.

In 2007, due to customer demand, I introduced a range of premixed holistic formulas designed to treat the most common health problems I have encountered in my 10 years of practice. For further details see VF Equine Formulas

Prior to establishing Herbal Horse I worked as a freelance rural promotions consultant and equestrian journalist, and then conducted Horses for Courses - a bloodstock agency specializing in the sale of dressage horses, showjumpers and eventers. Pictured left is Star of Erin, just one of the many talented horses produced by Horses for Courses.

Over the years I have bred a number of beautiful Thoroughbred horses. Included in these are Galen (pictured left) and Graffiti (pictured below right).

Most of my life has been spent actively involved with horses. Born on a sheep station in western Qld I started riding in shows and mustering at the age of 5 years and as a teenager I did a lot of stock work with sheep and cattle on my family's properties. I have been most fortunate to have owned many wonderful horses and competed in many equestrian disciplines since I was a child. Memorable among my equine partners are Gremlin, a grey pony mare - together we won a myriad of championships; Gilpin, a grey Anglo-Arab galloway, also a champion; Gaiety, a Brisbane winner as a hack but also a fantastic cattle horse and campdrafter; and Gambit, pictured left, a brave Thoroughbred who did very well for me in showjumping and eventing.

The equine partner extraordinaire, though, was Gamekeeper (deceased), my magnificent Grand Prix Dressage horse, friend and professor. He had grace, power and beauty, and very high spirits! Together we represented Australia three times - in the Haig, Samsung and Volvo World Cups. The highlight of our partnership was selection on the long list for the Australian Dressage Team to the World Equestrian Games in 1989. It was in Gamekeeper's final year of life, however, having retired from competition, that I enjoyed riding him more than ever - plenty of room in a beautiful big paddock to ride whatever the mood took us - passage, piaffe, ones, pirouettes, extensions. We did our best work out there. We never did like the restriction of an arena!

I currently own three horses - Gothic (Harry), APH Lilli Marlene and APH Fabio Harry is a very large chestnut Thoroughbred gelding, 17.2 hands, now retired. I achieved my highest ever score on him in an official dressage test. Although it was only Novice level, 73% is a very pleasing score and I well remember the harmony on that occasion. A benchmark to strive for at all times, but often elusive!

Lilli & Fabio both came from Libby & Walter Sauer's APH Stud and are my dressage competition horses. Lilli is a Trakehner mare by the Thoroughbred sire Merriville out of an APH mare with a long & distinguished line of Trakehner breeding, while Fabio is a Holsteiner gelding by the imported sire Lubeck out of an APH mare by another imported sire, Rocadero.

As the saying goes...."A good horse, like a good friend, has no race or colour."

For photos of some of my clients' happy, healthy, herbal horses please see the Photo Gallery.