by Carla Caruso

Katie Barber is happy to be called a ‘horse whisperer’.

The 36-year-old helps train some of the horses depastured at the paddocks in North Adelaide’s Lefevre Park / Nantu Wama (Park 6).

“Horse whisperer is a bit of a cheesy term, but I think what it really refers to is somebody who has the ability to be calm and listen, which takes a lot of inner work for a person,” Katie said.

“I do a lot of meditation and things to keep myself in a nice, calm place, so that I can be present and available for the horses. And so, yes, I like to think of myself as somebody who has that skill.”

Adelaide is unique in having horse paddocks – including a bridle track – so close to the CBD. Park 6 currently houses 13 horses, with their owners having to live within 2km of the park.

While Katie doesn’t own a horse at the park herself, she’s there almost every day, as well as working with clients beyond the city limits.

Growing up on a sheep and wheat farm in NSW’s Parkes meant she fell in love with horses at a young age.

Her childhood was “the usual story of pony club, trail rides and stockwork on green [or untrained] horses … The passion really grounded me as a teen, and it’s just taken over my life as an adult.”

Katie moved to the city after high school, studying French classical equitation with Sarita Stratton. As well as now being a horse trainer, Katie works part-time as an equine veterinary nurse and is studying biomedical science at Adelaide University.

Her involvement at Park 6 has enabled her to enjoy a little bit of the country in the city. She started out there as a volunteer, helping people with their horses’ routine care and exercise. Now, she trains a few of the horses, as well as continuing to volunteer there.

“It’s such a special community and looking after a horse is such a big job – it really does take a village,” Katie said.

“Because I was fortunate enough to form deep friendships with some of the horse owners [early on], I have become part of the fabric of that place.

“One of the really special things that we do together is kind of a pseudo pony club, where some Saturdays, a good number of the owners will come out and we’ll do just one lap together [with the horses], just walking and talking and being together. We do little competition days and things as well.

“I usually spearhead the weekly pony club. It’s one of my volunteer activities that helps bring the community together and it’s just a celebration of that special, little space. We jokingly call our little club, the ‘Park 6 Pony Club’.”

What also makes the park situation unique is that it’s “a community-based system, where everyone has to pitch in”.

“There’s no boss. We do have a Park Lands ranger [from the Adelaide City Council], who helps to keep the facilities functioning, including with the fences, weed spraying, and the troughs.

“Aside from that, the horse owners have to work together. They do rotational grazing, moving the horses from paddock to paddock on a schedule, and they have to do worming and triage care if a horse gets wounded, and so on.

“The horse owners there form this wonderful community, and this is why the little pony club days are possible because they’re all friends. They all care about each other’s ponies.”

One of the horses Katie trains at Park 6 is a former brumby – or feral horse – from NSW’s Kosciuszko National Park. “[Peppa] was rescued before the culling [currently happening] and he came to the Park Lands and I have been his primary trainer.

“He’s actually just an exceptional, little horse. He’s very calm and he fits into the Park Lands very well. I work for his owner, who’s also training him.

“Training a wild horse requires you to go really slowly; it’s really sensitive work. I’ve got to say that we’ve done an exceptional job with this little brumby. He’s of sound mind and he’s just become a fantastic companion horse.”

Another of Katie’s clients is ‘Impy’, an Australian Riding Pony leased by engineer Andrejs Jaudzems.

Andrejs used to just enjoy photographing the horses and sharing the images on a social media page he created, Horses of North Adelaide. A year ago, however, he took the plunge and leased a horse.

“He’s learning things like husbandry from scratch, but he’s also starting to ride. It’s beautiful,” Katie said.

Beyond the horse community at Park 6, other regulars add to the park’s special feel.

“The Bush For Life volunteers come in and they plant trees and water trees and weed areas. So, I have to give a big shout out to them,” Katie said.

“Then there’s the Adelaide City Council and all the communities that spend time there – there are tennis courts and the Wilderness School oval and the children’s playground.

“I know so many dog walkers’ names too. It makes for just such a wonderful community environment.”

Editor’s note:

Some people mistakenly believe that the fences around the horse paddocks in Lefevre Park / Nantu Wama (Park 6) are to keep you out. It’s a common misconception, but totally wrong. The fences are there to keep the horses in, not to keep you out.

However, Katie said it’s best to only enter the paddock that the horses are in when “they’re under the guidance of one of the owners. But that’s just to keep yourself safe. The other rule of thumb is, if there’s a horse owner there, just ask and they will guide you which horse to pat.” People are also asked not to feed the horses.

Read more here: https://www.adelaide-parklands.asn.au/blog/2023/12/02/myth-busting-11-horses.

Photos thanks to Andrejs Jaudzems.