LARA Coventry-Cox of Blackmans Point has funnelled her passion and natural ability with horses into a truly unique art.
Her skill goes beyond the medium used, and instead lies in the extraordinary relationship with her horse.
Through a combination of control, grace and the hooves of “Bolt” – her American Paint Horse – Lara shapes and forms transient sand pieces.
From a young age, she always felt a deep connection to animals, but it was during a Reining competition that inspiration struck.
“Reining is a lot of fun,” Lara said.
“It involves guiding your horse through precise patterns of spinning, runs and stops.”
“One day, while I was running Zoro, my competition horse for Reining, through a drill on a clean arena, I looked back and noticed the patterns left in the sand by his hooves.
“This gave me the idea that I could actually start to draw pictures in the sand using my horses.”
In order to take her vision from concept to reality, Lara brought Bolt into the sand arena.
Starting him as a three-year-old colt without any traditional riding gear, Lara successfully forged a bond of trust and understanding.
Riding bareback during each creation, the duo seamlessly moves as one, crafting intricate designs in the sand beneath them.
“Bolt has made the process of drawing in the sand very easy.
“I started with straight lines going up and down, trying to ensure that Bolt’s hooves went in the exact same location.
“Through repetition and Bolt’s understanding of the cues I used, he learnt very quickly.
“Now Bolt will look down, ensuring he always stays on the same line, helping in each creation.”
Beyond her sand artistry, Lara’s skills as a trainer are often in high demand.
This includes her ability to coach local riders, ranging from beginners to mentoring participants for state and national competitions, along with her ability to teach specific skills to other animals such as dogs and even sheep.
By Kim AMBROSE
