Harris River Equestrian

21/07/2025

So proud of Mysti Boulton and the legacy she is building at Pineridge Farm here in Collie. We are so proud to collaborate with Mysti & her team later this year for our first Women Wellness retreat 🫶🏼👇

What if healing didn’t happen in a room, but in a paddock?

At Pineridge Farm, Mysti is creating something rare a place where rescue horses and people find their strength side by side. It’s not about perfection. It’s about presence, connection, and second chances.

Have you ever experienced the healing power of horses?

📸: ashleigh photography
Pineridge Farm

17/07/2025

🌿 In Her Stride – Women’s Wellness Retreat
5th – 7th December 2025, Collie, WA

We’re so excited to share this special collaboration between Harris River Equestrian & Pineridge Farm a unique women’s retreat designed to gently reconnect you with yourself through the quiet presence of horses and the grounding power of nature.

In Her Stride is more than just a retreat it’s a space to reflect, rebuild, and rediscover your rhythm. Guided by professionally accredited coaches, facilitators, and horsewomen, every experience is created with care, purpose, and soulful intention supporting your mind, body, and soul.

We meet you exactly where you are not where the world expects you to be. Here, there’s no pressure only space to breathe deeply, move gently, and return to the most authentic version of you.

🌿 Over three soul-nourishing days, you’ll experience:
• Equine-assisted wellness sessions
• Guided meditation, breathwork & sound healing under the stars
• Gentle movement + nature walks
• Creative workshops & journaling
• Fire circles (weather dependent)
• Stillness, reconnection, and space to simply be

Set across the peaceful bushland and vineyard Harris River Estate Winery and neighbouring Pineridge Farm the retreat includes glamping-style accommodation, nourishing meals, and supportive, like-minded Women.

🗓 Begins Friday evening, December 5th, aligned with the powerful Super Full Moon

💫 $599 per person – includes accommodation, meals, and all facilitated sessions

Your Facilitators:
✨ Julie Hillier – Internationally recognised coach, facilitator, and equine wellness practitioner, and the heart behind Harris River Equestrian
✨ Mysti Boulton – Experienced horsewoman, qualified equine & animal-assisted therapist, Riding Instructor and founder of Pineridge Farm.

This is your invitation to step away from the noise, reconnect with what matters, and move forward, in your own stride.

✨ Spots are limited. Waitlist now open via our websites www.harrisriverestate.com.au

15/06/2025

Love this 🫶🏼🫶🏼

💜Ever wonder why a horse might choose you over his herd?💜

Every time I pull into the driveway, Jay is there. Waiting at the gate. Watching for me.
Not because I have treats.
Not because I’m the source of food.
But because… he wants to be with me.

And I’ve been wondering—why?

I’ve had Jay since 2013. We’ve been through fear, injuries, setbacks, triumphs. We’ve done the hard things together—on the trail, in the arena, and just as often, in the quiet places in between.

And maybe that’s the answer.

Maybe he comes to the gate because I’ve always come through for him.
Maybe it’s because I listened when he said something didn’t feel right.
Maybe it’s because I didn’t push when I should’ve paused.
Maybe it’s because I made room for his emotions, not just his obedience.

I don’t know the exact moment that tipped the scales.
But I know trust isn’t built in the big things.
It’s layered—like sediment—in a thousand small moments where we chose respect over force, empathy over ego.

Jay doesn’t come to the gate because he has to.
He comes because he wants to.
And in a world where horses are often trained to comply, there’s something sacred about a horse who freely chooses connection.

18/05/2025

Some food for thought.... Taking the best of neuroscience and deep understanding of horses... Love this 🥰👇👇👇

5 Common Misconceptions About Horse Behavior—and What Neuroscience Really Says

By Jenn Currie | Brain-Centered Horsemanship

We’ve all heard them. The casual labels, the assumptions, the age-old advice passed down in barns and arenas. But when we pause and consider what’s happening under the hood—in the brain—we start to see behavior differently.

Let’s break down five common misconceptions about horse behavior and explore what neuroscience really tells us.

1. “He’s just being naughty.”

The Myth: The horse is misbehaving on purpose, maybe even to annoy you.

The Truth: Horses aren’t moral creatures. They don’t have a concept of “right” or “wrong” the way humans do—they have a concept of safe or unsafe. When a horse resists, reacts, or refuses, it’s not about defiance—it’s about survival.

Labeling behavior as “naughty” often causes us to overlook the real cause: fear, pain, confusion, or unmet needs. The brain’s number one priority is safety, and if a horse’s behavior is changing, it’s usually their way of communicating discomfort or distress—not plotting rebellion.

2. “He’s just testing you.”

The Myth: Your horse is trying to see what they can get away with.

The Truth: This idea puts the horse in a manipulative role they’re not neurologically wired for. Horses have a frontal lobe, but it’s less developed than ours. They can think a few steps ahead, but they do not plan elaborate schemes to test your patience.

Most of the time, what we interpret as “testing” is actually the horse seeking clarity, consistency, or reassurance. Their brains are designed to respond to the present moment—not to strategize about dominance.

3. “He’s pretending to be scared to get out of work.”

The Myth: The horse isn’t actually afraid—he’s faking it.

The Truth: Fear in horses is real and often misread. Neuroscience shows that when the amygdala—the brain’s fear center—is activated, logic takes a back seat. That freeze, spook, or bolt isn’t planned. It’s a reflex.

If your horse “acts scared” in one environment but not another, it doesn’t mean he’s faking—it means his brain is reacting to context. Horses don’t generalize well. A tarp in the arena isn’t the same as a tarp in the woods. If their brain perceives a threat, the response is genuine—even if it seems irrational to us.

4. “He knows better.”

The Myth: The horse is doing something wrong even though they’ve already learned what’s expected.

The Truth: Learning isn’t linear. Just because a horse performed something yesterday doesn’t mean they can execute it today under different conditions. Stress, distractions, pain, or lack of sleep can all impact recall and performance.

Think of it like this: the hippocampus—the part of the brain responsible for memory and learning—can become overloaded. If a horse is overwhelmed, they’re not being stubborn—they’re hitting a cognitive limit. They need time, repetition, and rest.

5. “He’s being disrespectful.”

The Myth: The horse is trying to assert dominance.
The Truth: This one is especially harmful.

“Disrespect” implies intent and moral judgment—something horses simply don’t possess. What looks like “disrespect” is usually miscommunication.

Horses speak through movement, pressure, posture, and energy. If your horse is crowding, biting, or ignoring cues, it’s not about dominance—it’s about confusion, anxiety, pain, or poor timing. When we replace punishment with observation and curiosity, we begin to teach, not just correct.

Why This Matters

When we mislabel behavior, we miss opportunities to teach, connect, and understand. Neuroscience doesn’t just explain behavior—it gives us a roadmap to build safer, more trusting partnerships.

As someone who’s worked with both horses and humans for decades, I can tell you: when we train with the brain in mind, the results speak for themselves.

Let’s stop guessing—and start understanding.

Want to Learn More?

Follow me Horse of a Different Color: Brain-Centered Horsemanship or visit horseofadifferentcolor.org to explore upcoming clinics, articles, and hands-on opportunities to dive deeper into brain-centered horsemanship.

18/05/2025

So a few people are asking me what type coaching /facilitation/training I do… so here’s one example from today. Here’s one of my specialities - through my professional day job I led the design of this national Womens Leadership Program & have it delivered it nationally for 3 years through my work as CoCEO of IPS Management Consultants. I have a passion for building confidence & capabilities in Women - supporting them to build confidence, find their voice , create space & to be heard. When I add in the power of Equine Assisted Learning to elements of this - this is where the magic happens 🫶🏼🫶🏼

16/05/2025

🌿 Exciting News from Harris River Equestrian! 🐴✨
🍇Heard it through the grapevine? 🍇 Well, it's TRUE—we’re thrilled to introduce something truly special happening here at Harris River Equestrian 🎉 ....
Q: What happens when you blend 20+ years experience as a professionally accredited coach & facilitator with passion for confidence-building, communication, resilience, and leadership with a deep love for horses and their extraordinary ability to reflect our inner selves?
A: a match made in heaven. 💫
Our very own Julie Hillier (owner of Harris River Equestrian and Harris River Estate) is a internationally renowned professionally accredited coach and facilitator with 20+ years of experience working with clients worldwide, is bringing her two greatest passions together to develop Harris River Equestrian’s Equine Assisted Learning Programs & Coaching! 🐎
Julie, accredited in Equine Assisted Learning since 2024, will be sharing more about upcoming programs, events, and an exciting new partnership collaboration—so stay tuned! 🔥
Big things are coming… Watch this space! 👀✨

Harris River Estate Winery

12/05/2025

Quiet rides. Open space. Just you, your horse, and the vines. 🌿

15/06/2016