About Us
Lindsay Gordon Collins
Lindsay was born in September, 1926, named for the horseman-poet and grew up in a world of largely horse drawn transport, steam trains and cable trams. After being discharged from the RAAF in late October, 1947 he saddled up and headed off from his home in Thornbury, an outer Melbourne suburb at the time, on a 280 mile (450 K) 8 day ride to Boree Creek swagging it on the way, to work a horse powered wheat harvest.
When the harvest cut out, instead of returning home as per the original plan, he turned his horse's head north and by riding and working, picking up a pack mare along the way, working as a station hand, drover, or whatever work was available, rode in the gates of home 14 months and 1600-odd miles (2575 K's) later.
That was the first of many long distance rides Lindsay has made over the years, as well as uncounted one or two day rides. Even when working as a drover for William Angliss's meat works at Footscray a day's ride often meant being in the saddle from 4 am till 6 pm on several horses. At other times he has worked as a drover bringing horses out of NSW to Melbourne, or cattle from the Queensland border to the Wodonga saleyards.
Along the way Lindsay has authored numerous books and articles about the bush, horses and gear, Coach building yarns and horse lore. He has a great knowledge of the Australian Light Horse and the gear used. His first article was published in the September, 1948 issue of 'Hoofs and Horns' and since then has written many 'how to' articles for equine and woodwork magazines in Australia and America. Whilst working at Soverign Hill Ballarat he hand built a Cobb & Co Concord style Stage Coach so his knowledge of all things horse is huge.
At 72, with a small group of friends he rode from Holbrook to Balranald NSW over a three week period and 500 miles ( 800 k's) by the track taken, and by his own words 'has hardly ridden since then', as he doesn't count any ride under two hours as a ride. Two hours each way to a dance or to visit friends he doesn't count either, as he didn't spend the night in his swag away from home.
Horses are in the blood of the Collins family as Lindsay's brother, junior by four years was driving four-in-hand Clydesdales in Melbourne at 15, and went on to be a very successful owner-trainer-driver of harness racing horses for over 50 years. With his extensive horse experience he is a great man to have along on any ride as in this case he ‘has been there and done that’. Lindsay is riding on a regular basis and all of us hope that we are that fit at 85. He will be still going long after much younger people have fallen by the wayside.
Richard Capper
Richard was born in November 1946 and has been trail riding since the age of 12. Richard had to learn the hard way as there was no one in the family that had any horse knowledge at all.
At the age of 17 he embarked on a 600 mile ride with a mate towing a pack horse and leaving from Ringwood an eastern suburb of Melbourne they headed for Gipsland. At Heyfield they headed north to Dargo then across to Swifts Creek then on to Omeo. The trip back over Mt Hotham and the Dargo High Plains and back through Gipsland to finish the trip.
Richard then taught himself to make saddlery and finished his first of may saddles by the time he was 18. Horse riding and saddlery took a bit of a back seat after that as family and work got in the way but he still managed a few rides up into the high country over the years.
Richard managed a couple of Myer Store departments, a Saddlery Wholesale company, owned and operated a Capt'n Snooze store, built a house from scratch, owned and operated various retail stores and ended up with a computer consultancy business.
By this time the horse riding itch had become unbearable so here we are organising the Great Geriatric Trail Ride and building a new saddle and bridle and rerigging the pack saddle. A new 5 year old mare completes the work load for Richard who can't wait to get back on the road again.
Richard was born in November 1946 and has been trail riding since the age of 12. Richard had to learn the hard way as there was no one in the family that had any horse knowledge at all.
At the age of 17 he embarked on a 600 mile ride with a mate towing a pack horse and leaving from Ringwood an eastern suburb of Melbourne they headed for Gipsland. At Heyfield they headed north to Dargo then across to Swifts Creek then on to Omeo. The trip back over Mt Hotham and the Dargo High Plains and back through Gipsland to finish the trip.
Richard then taught himself to make saddlery and finished his first of may saddles by the time he was 18. Horse riding and saddlery took a bit of a back seat after that as family and work got in the way but he still managed a few rides up into the high country over the years.
Richard managed a couple of Myer Store departments, a Saddlery Wholesale company, owned and operated a Capt'n Snooze store, built a house from scratch, owned and operated various retail stores and ended up with a computer consultancy business.
By this time the horse riding itch had become unbearable so here we are organising the Great Geriatric Trail Ride and building a new saddle and bridle and rerigging the pack saddle. A new 5 year old mare completes the work load for Richard who can't wait to get back on the road again.