5 minutes with Megan Jones

by: Barastoc

We recently caught up with Olympic Silver Medallist and two time Olympian Megan Jones to chat about all sorts of things, like what it’s like to be a champion rider to her most embarrassing moment, and everything in between. Read below to find out her top tips for anyone looking to become a professional eventer, and her favourite thing to do other than ride horses! 

Megan, what’s your favourite thing about being a Team Barastoc Partner Rider.

Being part of a passionate team behind a top quality feed, I just love it. We have access to the best quality feed out there, and just knowing that it’s formulated to be the best it can be.

So, can you tell us about the most embarrassing thing you’ve ever done, or that’s ever happened to you while competing?

Oh God!!! <laughs>. I split my skirt when I was sixteen years old in an event during the trot up, and the worst part was that I had to go again, the horse wouldn’t trot properly. I had to go up two and a half times, with a split skirt!!

Oh no, but you survived hey!!

Yes, I did, and I won the comp too, so it all worked out for the best (even though it was embarrassing!)

If someone wanted to get into professional eventing, what would be your number one piece of advice?

Never give up. Never stop trying. There is always a plan B, C & D. There is always a way to make it happen if you really want it enough.  Just rain, hail or shine, be out there, doing it.

If you weren’t riding horses for a living, what would you be doing ?

Sleeping, haha! Honestly, I actually have no idea.  I love teaching, I love coaching, I love helping people, and it would be in the form of making people smile, helping people.  I really have no idea.

I just love that you didn’t have a plan B, it was horses for you or nothing! That says something…

Ha, yes, it was always horses or nothing for me. It’s funny though, because I sort of just fell into it. I started teaching when I was fourteen years old, so its just all I’ve ever done.  I love it.

I guess I could have been a truck driver, driving trucks in and out of the mines <laughs>.

Love it. So, how many horses do you currently have here on your beautiful property in Belair in South Australia?

We have somewhere near 70 (I loose track, there are so many!)

We own about 55 horses, and then we have about 15 adjisted horses, and then we have some school horses and ponies and young stocks, and a couple of retired stock who need to be sold  to go on to do trail riding. Comp horses we have between 12 and 18 at any one time.

Wow, that’s a lot of horses! Do you breed horses here too?

Yes, we do, we haven’t had any foals this year. Our oldest foal is 18 months old. We will do some embryo transfers this coming season. We breed a bit, then we stop for a while, otherwise we just have too many horses (if there is such a thing!) and we’ll eventually run out of space!

Can you tell us something that not many people know about you?

Um, goodness me! I’m really good at sleeping. I could literally sleep anywhere!

You must have to get up quite early every morning with all your horses!

Yes, well I finishing teaching quite late so I sleep when I can. If there was a medal for sleeping, I would be up there with the front runners.

Hmm… what do people not know about me. Well, people know that I stutter, and that I am dyslexic, I was deaf as a kid (which they didn’t know until I was about 2).  After they fixed my ears, then I started stuttering. I wore glasses for a long time.  I had to have eye surgery as a kid. I struggled at school, but I still passes year 12. I guess I’m just a very normal person, that has all the same issues as  everyone else has.

But, you’ve done amazing well, haven’t you!

You know, it just makes you stronger. There is no substitute for hard work. If you’re not prepared to put the hard work in, you just wont get anywhere in life. No matter what field you’re in.

I think it’s also got a lot to do with your vision as well, you had this focus of wanting to be with horses, and nothing else.

I’ve just always loved it and dream about it and visualise it. I just want to be the best I can. But it’s not all about competing, and winning medals, I just love horses. I love riding, training, teaching, if I could never compete again for some reason, it wound bother me. I just genuinely love riding. In the night time, I go out and see my horses and give them a carrot.  I could spend hours in there, before I even come inside to see James (my husband)!  He sees me come in and says, “where have you been”, and I just have to reply “giving Jester a scratch on the neck”…

Haha, at least James knows where your priorities are! Finally, my last questions, what do you think abut the new and improved Barastoc Calm Performer.

It’s always been a great feed that we’ve fed to most of our horses, it gives them all the energy they need. It even comes in a bigger bag now, and I love that the feeding rates have been reduced so its even better value now. Its just good feed, keeps weight on them and gives them good energy, and they stay calm.

For eventing our horses need to be fit, have the power to do their cross country and eventing, and get a good test out of them, so it just works for us in every way!