W O M E N A N D H O R S ES

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1 W O M E N A N D H O R S ES A STU D Y OF AUSTR A LI A S RECR EA TI ONA L HORS E WOM EN BY SANDRA BURR, BA AN EXEGESI S SUBMI T T E D IN CONJU NC T ION WIT H A CREA TI VE WOR K, WR IT ING RI DI NG : REFLE CTIO N S OF AN A U S TRA LI AN HORSEWO M AN, FOR FU LF I LM EN T O F T HE R EQUIR EM EN TS FOR T HE D EGREE OF DOCTOR OF P HI LO SOP HY AT T H E UN I VER SI TY OF CANB ERRA. MARCH

2 Sandra Elizabeth Burr (2009)

3 CERTIFICATE OF AUTHORSHIP OF THESIS Except where indicated in footnotes, quotations and the bibliography, I certify that I am the sole author of the two parts of the thesis submitted today entitled: Women and horses: A study of Australia s recreational horsewomen (this volume) and Writing riding: Reflections of an Australian horsewoman (a collection of essays and poems). I further certify that to the best of my knowledge the thesis contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due reference is made in the text of the thesis. The material in the thesis has not been the basis of an award of any other degree or diploma except where due reference is made in the text of the thesis. The thesis complies with university requirements for a thesis as set out in Signature of candidate... Signature of chair of the supervisory panel Date 20 th March 2009 Copyright in relation to this thesis Under Section 35 of the Copyright Act of 1968, the author of this thesis (comprising this exegesis, Women and horses: A study of recreational horsewomen, and a creative work, Writing riding: Reflections of an Australian horsewoman) is the owner of any copyright subsisting in this work, even though it is unpublished. Sandra Elizabeth Burr (2009)

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5 ABSTRACT This dissertation is a fusion of three grand passions that invigorate my life a love of books and reading; a love of words and writing; and a profound and enduring love of horses. I am particularly attracted to the stories of other horsewomen, and while I identify with much that is written about women and horses, my own story and that of most contemporary Australian recreational horsewomen, is largely missing. Australia has a long tradition of horsemanship, a culture which in recent decades has become largely feminised and mostly recreational. Despite this reorientation, horses continue to be associated with such durable tropes as the outback, and the race that stops a nation, yet these masculine discourses are no longer representative of modern equestrian culture. The profound changes in what was once a vital sector of Australian society have been overlooked by scholars and creative practitioners alike, and it is only now that Australia s contemporary horsewomen have become a topic of academic inquiry. By examining the nature of the relationships between women and horses, I illuminate this unique culture, and in doing so extend our understandings of what it is to be Australian. I conducted the research using a combination of traditional and creative paradigms that allow multiple readings of what it is to be a horsewoman. The exegesis contains the data from which two interpretations of horsewomen emerge: an insider s view told by the women themselves; and an outsider s view constructed from an interpretive analysis of the data. My own subjective experiences are recorded in the collected essays, poems and visual material of the creative work. Taken as a whole the dissertation is a unique multi-layered account of modern Australian recreational horsewomen and they way operate in the world.

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7 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to acknowledge and thank my family, friends and colleagues for their unwavering support, encouragement and help over the past four years. In particular I thank my supervisor, Professor Jen Webb for her generosity and wise council. My thanks also to The University of Canberra Library staff who assiduously tracked down my many weird and unusual requests. To Mike Burr, words are not enough. Thank you for absolutely everything. Huge thanks to all the horsewomen because without you there would be no project. I dedicate this dissertation to the horses in my life, especially Achilles, Caleb, Cleo, Myst, and Rikki; and to Lottie, who kept me company through all the long hours.

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9 W O M E N A N D H O R S ES A STU D Y OF AUSTR A LI A S RECR EA TI ONA L HORS E WOM EN S A N D R A B U R R

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11 CONTENTS Chapter 1 Introduction: Australia s invisible horsewomen... 9 My story... 9 The invisible horsewomen The research question The shape of the dissertation Horses and society Historical dimensions Horsewomen and contemporary equestrian culture Popular perceptions of equestrian culture Horse racing The stockman myth and language Country versus city Parameters: Inclusions and exclusions Authenticity of experience Understanding equine/human relations Significance of study Chapter 2 A review of the literature: What has been said? Overview Companion animals Human animal studies in Australia Defining animal human relationships Defining horse human relationships

12 Ethical considerations Scholarly research Overview General research Communication and embodiment Popular literature Overview Australian equestrian publishing Characteristics of popular literature Bridging the disciplinary divide New ways of knowing Chapter 3 Methodology Introduction Creative choices Dialogism Personal Essays Poetry The relationship between exegesis and creative artefact The Research Question Model Methodology Hybridity Embedded and embodied research Data collection Questionnaire survey Interviews Observation Ethics

13 Validity Chapter 4 Findings: Horse love Introduction The horsewomen s world Demographics Living with horses Maintaining the connection Reasons for enjoying horses The horse woman relationship Natural horsemanship Partners and friends Embodiment Time out Support and friendship Self image and self worth Competition Best friends Family Responsibility Giving up horses Sex, women and horses A place of their own Horses as teachers Fear Humanising horses Chapter 5 Discussion: Some meanings of being a horsewoman Traditional versus recreational equestrianism

14 A space of their own Transference Lived resistance New ways of being with horses Dominance and submission Resistance Truth, illusion and change Relationships with horses Sex and sensuality Conclusion Works cited

15 TABLE OF FIGURES Figure 1: Men do kiss horses Figure 2: Horse in bed Figure 3: Age of respondents Figure 4: Occupations of respondents Figure 5: Frequency of respondents interactions with their horses Figure 6: Respondents who are primary carers of their horse(s) Figure 7: Respondents activities with horses Figure 8: Where respondents keep their horses Figure 9: Age when first started riding Figure 10: MARES brochure Figure 11: Reasons respondents enjoy horses Figure 12: Ratio of riders to non-riders Figure 13: Who respondents ride with Figure 14: Respondents' relationship with horses Figure 15: A Christmas card from friends Figure 16: Misty, 32 years old, attending the bride Figure 17: Difficulty giving up horses Figure 18: Descriptions of horses for sale Figure 19: Respondents' experience of fear Figure 20: Bobby