Why I was nervous horse riding in Australia as a hijab-wearing Muslim girl
I had heard from my friends both at home in England as well as in New Zealand that for some people, Australia ‘might be a bit racist’. This was the kind of phrase that made me even more determined to have my own experience and decide for myself. In my opinion, these kind of comments, although meant to provide some kind of warning to me, largely had the opposite effect as I believe that labelling a whole nation as potentially ‘racist’ is in the same vein as saying ‘all Muslims are terrorists’.
Undoubtedly, as a fully hijab compliant ‘Western Muslim’ born and raised in England, I have had my share of questionable activities including wearing a ‘burkini’ at the pool in Nottingham Centerparcs (which definitely gathered some odd looks) as well as various concerned expressions during a gym class paired with the classic ‘aren’t you hot in that?’
Many of these occurrences have happened while I have been travelling, and whilst I have made every effort to be casual about wild swimming in my Lyra swimsuit (which is probably the coolest that a ‘burkini’ can ever look) I still sometimes do notice people staring at me, which either makes me feel either uncomfortable or empowered, depending on my mood.
Unfortunately in the news around the world there are still reports of men and women being assaulted due to their religious attire, which definitely does have an effect on my travels from time to time. Especially when travelling as a lone female, or even with my female housemate I have had to think about whether I might be safe or not. For example, I had always wanted to go to a real country Western show, with barrel racing and the like; I had found one to go to in a rural part of Australia, however I was worried that being on my own and being so apparently Muslim, it might be an unwise decision, especially as I had not yet had time to assess the place for myself.
So, when I was in my final few months of the year in New Zealand, we planned to take advantage of the Trans-Tasman bubble (thanks Jacinda!) and spend 5 weeks travelling in Australia. I really wanted to do a ride while we were there and I set about trying to find the perfect ride where I could fulfil my dream of mustering cattle. I was totally committed and watched ‘Man from Snowy River’ as well as researched the history of horses in Australia.
This led me down a path of learning about animals of transportation in Australia, particularly the history of camels and how they came to arrive in the outback. Many of the original Australian cameleers were Muslims that came from India, Iran and Afghanistan, bringing their camels in order to assist projects building transport links across the outback. These countries being part of my cultural heritage really struck home for me and I felt a deeper sense of connection with Australia as a place, something that I had definitely not expected to feel.
I also read the book ‘Tracks’ and watched the film on Netflix, which was a very poignant story of a solo female traveller who makes her way across the Australian outback with only camels for company. There was another interesting film called ‘The Furnace’ which was about Muslim cameleers in Australia that I ended up watching on my flight home from Darwin to London.
So when trying to arrange a ride I was fully committed and went through every page on TripAdvisor for horse riding in Australia (visiting Australia can only be considered a once in a lifetime experience, and deserves that much effort). I finally settled on one that I was 100% sure about. The Globetrotting ‘5 day cattle, beach and bush ride’. It looked incredible. The only thing was that it had totally sold out for the dates that I was meant to be in Australia.
I contacted Globetrotting as well as Rainbow Beach Horse Rides directly to see if they could fit me in. I was so keen to do this one, that I actually tried to offer them more than the asking price (yes I tried to bribe them to take me on the trip). I tried to mention in my email that one day I would feature them on my upcoming blog, and that I may never ever be able to visit Australia again, and I even included a link to my horse and hound article to try and win favour. So desperate, wow. Sometimes, when I want to do something, I really want to do it and it is hard for me to get that out of my head at times, especially with the thought that I may not be able to return for many years due to Covid-19.
I wondered whether they had not given me a space because I had a Muslim name, and I couldn’t help thinking that maybe if I had been a ‘Sarah Johnson’ maybe they would have made an exception? I never know if I am overthinking everything, these are the sorts of thoughts that unfortunately arise when partaking in a hobby which can be seen as exclusivist or pertaining to a particular ‘type’ of person, which is part of the reason I am so passionate about making it more accessible.
An investigation found that someone with a Muslim-sounding name on their CV is three times less likely to get an interview when applying for a job. I despairingly wondered if the same effect applied here. Not only that, but I had deliberately chosen a ‘wild west’ kind of experience, which included riding your horse into a bar to have a drink. So there was hijab-wearing, praying, non-drinking me, enrolling on a cattle mustering ride in semi-rural Queensland and being outraged that they didn’t make an exception to fit me in.
Needless to say this was unnecessary anyway. No sooner had I given up on the hope that I would get to go on this once-in-a-lifetime experience, did a space open up for a single rider. I was thrilled, Schele not so much. We had a three day argument (our longest ever fight, after working as brand new doctors together for a year, then living in Oxford together for a year, and then living in New Zealand together for almost a year) about me going on my own for those 5 days and her doing something else in that time.
I genuinely hate to upset her, as she is one of my closest friends. It was a difficult decision as it was something I really wanted to do and I would have to do it alone as she is not a rider. It was one of those times where it was so difficult to work out a compromise. I was glad in the end that I decided to go as it was something I definitely would have regretted if I didn’t take the chance. I was confident that Schele would find something equally amazing and that she would have an exceptional time doing it (she did: she went to Fraser island, and said it was a highlight of her Australia trip). So when the time came to fly to the Gold Coast on the Trans-Tasman bubble, I was ready.
I was so, so glad to have got a space on that ride, as I had even looked into a ride near Tamworth, where they run a country music festival, but had been advised not to go on my own in case something happened as it is a slightly more rural area. To be honest, when we were on the Sunshine Coast Highway, I saw a racist sign on the side of the road which said ‘No Sharia Here’. You can read more about that sign here. I think there is unfortunately a lot of poor media and dare I say propaganda that has had a negative impact on people’s perceptions of Muslims and Islam in Australia.
Once we had arrived in the Gold Coast, we spent a couple of nights celebrating Schele’s 28th birthday, visiting Currumbin wildlife sanctuary, Movieworld and staying overnight at Seaworld. It was so incredible to experience real live Australia. I remember the first time I saw a ‘bin chook’ or ‘bin chicken’ (the Australian white ibis which runs rampant in urban areas) I thought it was a rare and wild bird. After a while I realised that Aussies treated them in the same way people treat pigeons in London, and why people had been giving me odd looks when I asked Schele to take my photo with them.
The Rainbow Beach, Bush and Cattle Ride, Australia
So began my riding trip. On the Sunday I travelled up to a place called Gympie. This journey was in an awesome enormous 4-wheel drive truck driven by my new friend Shari. She was super cool, and so casual about everything; when she picked me up from outside the front lobby of Seaworld I was thrilled. She was wearing a white shirt and blue jeans and looked every bit the Western cowgirl dream. It took around 2 hours to drive up from Gold coast and it was so easy chatting with her, I immediately felt comfortable. She had worked as a nurse and also was part of a boat business. I loved the journey and getting to know her.
Day 0 (Sunday)
So I arrived with Shari. We got out of the car and sat at a table to sign some forms, while people were arriving. Andrew (the boss) and Rod (co-host) led us round to the front paddock and gave us an introduction and short demonstration. We all tried to learn each other’s names and had a look around. Our bags were brought up this hill called Mount Goomboorian (which is where the campsite was) by the team, and we had a brilliant first dinner that evening made by Dan, the chef.
Arriving and seeing the horses out in the paddocks.
Rod (left) and Andrew giving a demo, with a bit of liberty work thrown in.
I was so excited for my glamping tent, as I had never stayed in one before. It was very comfortable and there was plenty of space for me to put my prayer mat out on the floor and also have my suitcase there. I think I was a bit paranoid about bugs and snakes because of what people had told me, everytime I went out of the tent I literally zipped everything up in case a snake or spider got in. I still don’t know if that was the correct thing to do or completely unnecessary. It was pretty cold at night, I think it was between 1 and 6 degrees most nights. I wore all of my clothes, not even joking. I looked like a snowman.
Isn’t this just the cutest little tent? I loved the lamp, and the bedside table.
What a peaceful place to be.
That evening, in my tent, I reflected on the day and realised that I had immediately felt so comfortable with all of the people that I had met, and they had been so kind to me. Dan, the chef, was so understanding about my dietary requirements (halal meat only, otherwise pescatarian) and didn’t make a big deal out of it, which just made me feel so much better. I have always found it awkward when people keep asking me if I am happy with the food, or what I can eat, I know people do it to make sure that my requirements are respected, but there’s something refreshing when it’s acknowledged but kept low-key.
Day 1 (Monday)
I woke up just before sunrise to pray, and the clean fresh air and slowly emerging sky from my tent made me feel like I was on top of the world.
What a way to start the day.
Breakfast was filling and so wholesome. Everyone was very excited and a bit apprehensive for our first day ahead. We came down Mount Goomborian and mounted our horses, giggling and chatting like we were at school.
Getting on the horses in the morning, feeling a bit nervous/excited.
That day started off with a ride to Silky Oaks tea garden, and on the way there was a little canter with the groups split according to everyone’s ability and comfort. I rode Nelson who was a very square sort of horse, he was alright, not a particularly smooth ride but I didn’t have any major complaints as he wasn’t spooky, which is always the worst thing on trail rides or on a hack out. I was quite chuffed when Andrew said to me that he thought I sat well in my canter. Imagine that, a real Aussie complimenting my riding!
I love shadows, especially ones with cowboy hats.
The team at RBHR obviously have a really good working relationship with the Silky Oaks Tea Gardens as the service was pretty smooth. It was so nice that there were so many options to pick from the menu and that it was already included within the package. A bit of Aussie hospitality.
Outside Silky Oaks Tea Gardens
I really enjoyed the variety of terrain that we rode through, including forest, through a river, and eventually back up Mount Goomborian resulting in some spectacular views.
About halfway up Mount Goomborian we stopped the horses for a snack and took a group photo. It was so nice how everyone had already bonded so much in such a short space of time. The Australian culture is so open and friendly, I loved that about them.
We headed back towards camp and I was looking forward to a bit of downtime reading my kindle in the tent and lying on my bed. Although it was a bit fresh at times, the weather was generally pleasant during the day and the sun was very warming. Can you believe this is their winter?
On the way back to camp.
We actually saw a wild koala on the way back to camp, which was such a great moment and so special for me. In fact, I absolutely loved all of the wildlife that we saw, including stunning white cockatoos and also galahs which are a type of pink and grey cockatoo, I could watch them fly around all day. Their behaviour is apparently very odd at times and so people actually call someone a ‘galah’ when they are doing something silly. Love that. I also finally heard a real kookaburra call in the wild (the laughing bird) and hearing all the other birdsong was phenomenal. There was an incident on one of the evenings where I was called to witness a Huntsman spider in the shower room, and literally screamed so loudly because Zac asked me if I wanted it and then made as though he was going to pick it up.
Difficult to discern between drop bears and koalas from such an angle.
That evening there was another delicious dinner and everyone went to their tents for an early night. I had a shower, which was in this metal shack thing. It was quite an exhilarating and fun experience, apart from when the wind blew!
My trusty steed upon return to camp.
My tent at sunset, looking like the place to be.
We spent the evening chatting around the fire and eating another delicious meal as the stars came out. That night I went to bed feeling so grateful and blessed to be able to have such versatile experiences, I love the contrast that life can bring from one moment to the next, and all the sorts of people that we get the opportunities to meet.
Day 2 (Tuesday)
We rode down the mount in the morning and had our first taste of cattle work, before riding to Andrew’s family home which was such a wholesome experience.
The way the light catches the curtain and the shadow that falls is just so beautiful.
I loved seeing where Andrew had grown up, meeting his family and looking at some of the photos in his home, it made it really meaningful and special. A family home is somewhere that you cherish and keep fond memories and I felt honoured that he was sharing it with us and telling us about his journey with RBHR. I think sometimes with ‘commercialised’ riding trips this realness is sometimes lacking, but somehow this ride held down all the charm and was so much more authentic than I had expected. It was just everything down to the people, the places, the horses and the genuine connections that were formed.
We continued with some of the cattle work from the morning and moved the cattle across to another field. It was so exciting for me as I have been a solid fan of Heartland (the Canadian show, set on a ranch) and just being in this sort of environment was like living in a dream. So odd, I know, that these are the things that bring me to life :)
In the afternoon, we had a short session in the teaching paddocks. Georgia, Rod and Andrew taught us some basics of campdrafting, a unique Australian sport which involves a horse and rider, and working cattle. The idea is to separate one ‘beast’ from a mob of cattle and keep that animal under control and away from the others. Reportedly it originated from the stockmen and cattle drovers in Queensland who developed these informal competitions in order to prove their skills in horsemanship and cattlework.
That evening was when the fun really started. I take full credit for accidentally starting everyone off, as I tried to learn a dance move from Mae. This resulted in chaos and heaps of fun. It was hilarious for me at times, because I sometimes listen to country music at home in England (literally on psychiatry night shifts, driving between hospitals in Oxford) and it was just fantastic to finally hear it in the right setting, with the stereotyped demographic (haha, just joking, anyone can listen to country music, especially me). Sam and Jodi were an absolute pair and they had me laughing so much.
Day 3 (Wednesday)
We travelled down to Rainbow beach, which was about 40 minutes away. I went with Jodie in her car with Mae and Sam in the back. The horses went by trailer.
There was a short hack to get to the beach, where we safely crossed the road and went through this jungly bit.
Once we were all on the beach, some of us had a canter which was enjoyable, although I did find Nelson a bit square in his canter and he wasn’t the smoothest ride (nothing wrong with that though, every rider and every horse fit different).
We rode along the beach and then got them into the water. It was so cold because of the wind, even though the photos look sunny! Poor Georgia and Zac looked totally frozen while taking photos of all of us.
Even though it was a bit chilly, it was such a pure experience and everyone had loads of fun. I did nearly slip off a few times but thankfully didn’t end up totally in the water!
After that we sat on the grass and had a takeaway fish and chips, which was so well deserved. Then I went with Shari in her car to the tack shop (horsey shop that sells clothing, saddles, rugs, boots etc). I have so much fun in tack shops generally, so it was doubly fun going to one in Australia. The Western style boots were awesome, I was so tempted to buy a pair but I just knew they would not look right paired with my riding attire at home in England. We had a blast again in the evening with the delicious food and hanging around the campfire before getting ready for bed.
My home during the trip.
Day 4 (Thursday)
This day was all about campdrafting. Rod Cotter (a famous campdrafter) gave us all one-on-one teaching. This was not my strongest point, but I had so much fun and everyone was so supportive of each other, it was definitely a laugh. Andrew gave me some good feedback on my riding moves. There was a full on competition in the afternoon, with people essentially playing ‘doubles’ or in teams, to not let the ‘beast’ out of the ring. In the morning when I came down, they said that I would be riding George instead of Nelson. I am not sure why, Georgia mentioned something about Nelson needing physio. To be honest I had brought it up with Georgia on the Tuesday, as I noticed that Nelson was a bit uncomfortable when cantering on one rein, and I hoped that I hadn’t aggravated it when we were at the beach.
Georgia showing us how it’s done.
Day 5 (Friday)
We moved the cattle this morning and it was so fun. There were little opportunities where you were meant to do quick moves to stop the ‘beasts’ moving out of line, but I just could not think fast enough.
The teamwork and just riding out with other people who were also passionate about the experience was such a cohesive energy. I think having come on my own it really gave me a sense of appreciation for the welcoming nature that I found in meeting new people when travelling down under. There was something so redeeming about sitting down to a delicious meal every evening, having spent a day out riding, feeling so close to nature and being miles away from everywhere else, and feeling genuinely comfortable with this group: definitely an experience that cannot be easily replicated.
What a grade A team.
We headed back to the base at the bottom of Mount Goomborian and had lunch before everyone said their goodbyes. It was all over sooner than I knew it and Jacqui kindly drove me to Noosa where I met back up with Schele.
From the start, pretty much everyone I interacted with in Australia was super friendly. I couldn’t have said more for the group on my trip at Rainbow Beach. Jacqui was so kind and accommodating. The group were so welcoming, it was so easy to make friends with all of them. We had so much fun every evening (and every day!) especially making fun of me because I literally had no idea about anything Aussie (I literally arrived like 3 days before the ride). They gave me crash courses on everything: snakes, spiders, drop bears, the lot. However, I am not 100% how much of it was evidence-based.
Definitely still relevant for me at home in the UK. The slang is just way more fun.
I started off an obsession in the group with them teaching me Aussie slang such as ‘flat out like a lizard drinking’ or someone having ‘kangaroos loose in the top paddock’ which culminated in me receiving a book of Aussie slang as a gift from Erika and Cayse (solid newly married couple). Everyone wrote a note in it for me which will always be an amazing lasting memory. I admired the people around me greatly, for so many different things, the riding skills of Jan and Linda, the wholesome relationship of Kristy and Mark, the independence of Cas and Mae and the enduring relationship between Zac and his dad (Andrew) as well as the easy connections within their team (Georgia, Rod and Dan).
Something that really touched me was on the third night when Rod Kaye was chatting with me.
“When they said there would be a Muslim coming on this ride, I thought ‘oh no’, but now that I’ve met you, I hope all Muslim women are like you.”
That really moved me, because something that has always been important to me is improving perceptions that people have about Muslims on an individual level. He was such a gentleman throughout the trip, and I always felt reassured riding out when he was there. He had that kind of energy that genuinely good people have, and it saddened me a bit the way that even such sincere people get influenced by the way that the media propagates a distorted view of Islam.
In this small town of Gympie, on top of Mount Goomboorian, I felt that I had put a tiny drop into this vast ocean, changing stereotypes just a little bit, by being authentically myself and following my passion. And that felt amazing. I realised again with clarity why I love to travel, and how riding just allows you to meet people that you would never normally have interacted with, over a shared love of feeling free on the back of a horse.
I would do all of this again in a heartbeat, and I will always cherish the memories I have made with a bunch of brilliant Aussies on top of Gympie’s Mount Goomboorian, in Queensland Australia. It was the last place I thought I would find myself, but I learnt so much about my own confidence and being authentic to my own interests. The worries and nerves that I had held about being different from everyone were definitely valid, as there is no doubt that I am different; but that was something that I felt was celebrated right from the start, and I feel that my own steadfastness and being comfortable in who I truly am helped others to appreciate me as an individual.
I am so grateful for the welcome and kindness that Australia gave me in 2021, and I can now look back fondly and say that there was no need to be nervous.