Georgia Elias

Equestrian

I describe him as my horse of a lifetime. He’s helped me achieve some of my biggest dreams and that’s so special.

In the world of competitive sports, few athletes face the unique challenges encountered by equestrians. Success relies not only on your own personal fitness, skill and determination; instead, it is intertwined with a living, breathing partner whose moods and responses add an unpredictable element to every competition.

For Tasmanian eventing specialist Georgia Elias, this profound connection between horse and rider is a source of immense joy - especially now she has found her perfect partner in Aussie, a bay stallion.

“I was basically born into horse riding,” says Georgia. “Mum used to compete, and my grandfather had Clydesdales he used on the farm. But the biggest part of horse riding is finding a horse that suits you as a person, and I didn’t find mine for a few years.”

It wasn’t exactly love at first sight for Aussie and Georgia.  “When I first got him, he was scared of me,” she laughs. “Scared of his shadow, scared of anything that moved. But I’ve had him for nine years now and we’ve built up trust. I really feel like we could conquer the world together.”

Georgia’s strong family ties to the equestrian world gave her an early start, and she won her first competition at the age of three.

Nearly two decades later, Georgia is still competing and is enjoying success in eventing: a demanding and highly challenging combination of show jumping, dressage and cross-country. Although she primarily competes in individual events, Georgia has also represented Tasmania as part of the state eventing team at events around Australia.

“There are so many elements to the sport that determine who excels,” Georgia explains. “Dressage is scored on your movements; show jumping has a time limit and you’re aiming to jump clear and avoid knocking down any rails. Cross-country is the most dangerous part of the discipline because the jumps are huge and solid so they won’t fall if you hit them. It’s tough and we’re all extremely nervous before we leave the start box – but I think that’s why we all do it. It’s an amazing adrenaline high.”

Certainly, one thing they have taught me is to slow down. We’re all so focused on time and schedules; everyone seems to be in a hurry. But as soon as I sit in the saddle, I find that time slows down and I can just enjoy the moment. I’m fully focused on the horse.

While any equestrian athlete would be proud to represent their state, for Georgia the achievement tastes all the sweeter knowing that it is her own hard work that has brought Aussie to such an exceptional standard.

Her passion and patience have transformed Aussie from a horse that bolted at the slightest startle – sometimes leaving Georgia fearing for her safety – to a remarkable competitor.

“For the first few years I thought he might kill me,” she says. “He used to bolt all the time – a flat gallop, where you have no control. But now I describe him as my horse of a lifetime. He’s helped me achieve some of my biggest dreams and that’s so special. I never thought I’d have a horse that would allow me to even compete at the Melbourne three-day event, let alone place second.”

Georgia now competes at three-star level in eventing, just one step below Olympic standard. While many riders buy horses that are already trained to this level, it’s far less common for an athlete to train a horse to that level themselves.

Georgia admits that owning a horse is a huge commitment, one that requires dedication, money and time – regardless of whether the horse is for work, competition, or just enjoyment. She tries to ride daily, but balancing this with other responsibilities hasn’t always been easy and at times the pressure has taken a mental toll. When Georgia spent several years combining work on her parents’ farm, university studies, and riding, it often felt like there weren’t enough hours in the day to fulfil all her responsibilities.

But ironically enough, it is her riding – and her connection with Aussie – that has helped Georgia to find her equilibrium and a sense of calm.

“A lot of people work with horses purely for the mental health benefits,” she says. “Certainly, one thing they have taught me is to slow down. We’re all so focused on time and schedules; everyone seems to be in a hurry. But as soon as I sit in the saddle, I find that time slows down and I can just enjoy the moment. I’m fully focused on the horse.”

Georgia believes that anyone can experience these benefits, even without a family background in horses. She encourages those interested to explore riding schools and beginner classes where they can enjoy time learning about and connecting with horses, without the commitment of buying one and caring for it full time.

“For me, all your training and years of hard work with your horse aren’t just about winning or competing at a high level,” she reflects. “When you’re riding a horse, it can be just the smallest accomplishment that feels like you’ve climbed a mountain and achieved something great.”