Search through our pānui
Where It All Began: The Birth of Standfast Horse Treks
It started with a ride.
One summer afternoon back in 2018, I saddled up and went out for a ride with my whānau. Nothing fancy, just us, the horses, and the whenua beneath our feet. We were boosting down the beach, wind in our faces, wild and laughing and then came the quiet. The kind of silence that only happens when you’re out there together, hooves in the sand, breathing the salt air, nothing else in the world pulling at you.
That unfiltered joy. That feeling of being alive and together. Memories of riding as kids came flooding in of my dad, my siblings, the adventures we had growing up.
Autism, Sensory Needs, and How a Plushie Helped My Boy Ahikaa Find His Calm
Understanding Autism and Sensory Needs
Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects how a person communicates, interacts, and experiences the world. While every autistic person is different, many share a heightened sensitivity to sensory input, often called sensory processing differences or sensory modulation challenges.
Healing Ourselves, Healing Our Whānau
At Standfast, whānau means more than just family. It means connection — to people, to whenua, to wairua. It means showing up for each other, even on the hard days. It means holding space for growth, healing, and unconditional love.
But strong whānau don’t just happen. They’re nurtured. And often, that work begins with ourselves. We believe the strength of a whānau starts within the heart of each person.
Healing isn’t just about fixing what’s broken — it’s about reconnecting, rebalancing, and rediscovering the strength that already lives inside us.
Riding with Te Taiao: Reconnecting with the Natural World Through Horses
Riding with Te Taiao In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to feel disconnected — from the land, from each other, and even from ourselves. But out here, where the breeze carries the scent of wet earth and the steady thrum of hooves fills the quiet, we remember something ancient and true: we belong to Te Taiao, and it belongs to us.
Te Taiao isn’t just nature — it’s everything. The land, the rivers, the mountains, the sky, the birds, the winds, the quiet pauses between dawn and dusk. It’s the living world that sustains us and whispers the old stories if we’re still enough to listen. And few companions teach us to listen better than horses.
How to Catch, Treat & Respect a Horse
“Mā te huruhuru ka rere te manu – Adorn the bird with feathers so it can fly.”
At Standfast, horsemanship isn’t just about riding — it’s a way of life. It’s about building trust, understanding body language, staying present, and learning to lead with patience, not pressure. Whether you’re guiding a horse through the bush or simply standing alongside one, you’re entering into a relationship that asks you to show up honestly, calmly, and with intention.
This is especially powerful for tamariki. Teaching kids to ride builds more than physical skill — it teaches resilience, confidence, empathy, and responsibility. A horse doesn’t respond to ego, but to energy. When our rangatahi learn to ride, they’re also learning how to breathe through fear, set boundaries, listen deeply, and trust themselves. These are life lessons that stretch far beyond the saddle.
Horsemanship, Hauora & Our Future: Why Riding Matters
“Mā te huruhuru ka rere te manu – Adorn the bird with feathers so it can fly.”
At Standfast, horsemanship isn’t just about riding — it’s a way of life. It’s about building trust, understanding body language, staying present, and learning to lead with patience, not pressure. Whether you’re guiding a horse through the bush or simply standing alongside one, you’re entering into a relationship that asks you to show up honestly, calmly, and with intention.
This is especially powerful for tamariki. Teaching kids to ride builds more than physical skill — it teaches resilience, confidence, empathy, and responsibility. A horse doesn’t respond to ego, but to energy. When our rangatahi learn to ride, they’re also learning how to breathe through fear, set boundaries, listen deeply, and trust themselves. These are life lessons that stretch far beyond the saddle.