The COMPANY'S background
Epona Downs Equestrian Limited evolved from a small business originally catering for starting, training, competing and coaching horses for anyone in need. Gemma set up Epona Downs Limited when she moved from Southland to Canterbury to chase her dream of being able to work full time in the equestrian industry. It really was not a possibility for her in Southland due to the lack of daylight and facilities through the winter months. Epona Downs was named after Gemma's foundation warmblood mare Epona, pictured above.
Gemma with the help of a team of different workers and mentors, started, trained or competed around 200 horses from 2009 to 2015, one summer (a 4 month period) 25 outside horses were at the facility for training. The aim was not to have huge amounts of horses through, but to provide a quality long lasting product. One of her specialties was restarting, or remedial work, working through the different aspects of the horses training, potential physical issues or constraints to better understand the horse and its needs. It was during these years, with the foundation prior to 2009, that she developed her own unique method of training. The T.E.E.M method or The Epona Ethical Method.
It was at that point that she and her husband decided to start a family! The realisation then was that working horses and running the farm as well as working contract to the Department of Conservation in the permitting department ... and having a child was just not going to work. This was when Gemma decided to turn her interest in saddle fitting into a profession. This was when Epona Downs Equestrian Limited came into being, and from there the business has grown!
Sadly the horse training has had to take a back seat to the saddle work as demand increased, and Gemma sustained an unfortunate set of injuries after falling while carrying a heavy load, that was in 2017. Her passion will always be horse and rider education, however it has been too difficult to maintain due to the physical requirements, so she has been focusing her time on building the saddle fitting and diagnostic side of her training and business.
Gemma with the help of a team of different workers and mentors, started, trained or competed around 200 horses from 2009 to 2015, one summer (a 4 month period) 25 outside horses were at the facility for training. The aim was not to have huge amounts of horses through, but to provide a quality long lasting product. One of her specialties was restarting, or remedial work, working through the different aspects of the horses training, potential physical issues or constraints to better understand the horse and its needs. It was during these years, with the foundation prior to 2009, that she developed her own unique method of training. The T.E.E.M method or The Epona Ethical Method.
It was at that point that she and her husband decided to start a family! The realisation then was that working horses and running the farm as well as working contract to the Department of Conservation in the permitting department ... and having a child was just not going to work. This was when Gemma decided to turn her interest in saddle fitting into a profession. This was when Epona Downs Equestrian Limited came into being, and from there the business has grown!
Sadly the horse training has had to take a back seat to the saddle work as demand increased, and Gemma sustained an unfortunate set of injuries after falling while carrying a heavy load, that was in 2017. Her passion will always be horse and rider education, however it has been too difficult to maintain due to the physical requirements, so she has been focusing her time on building the saddle fitting and diagnostic side of her training and business.
Gemma Sigglekow
I rode before I could really walk, my mother was then, and is still, a very experienced and knowledgeable horse woman and breaker. There was never a shortage of horses to ride, and most of them were the ones other people didn't want. My mother had a knack for fixing problems, so that is how we started out. On the buckers, bolters, rearers or unbroken ponies of the Southland plains.
In my early days I loved to jump and go fast, but we always understood that schooling was the foundation, proper classical work. It was fairly drilled into us to use the inside leg to outside hand! more leg than hand, use your seat!
My sister and I didn't compete at the same shows, and they often coincided with each other so I was often at big Show-jumping events on my own, or Dad would pop in and see me, watch me ride. My sister was the dressage queen of the family, I just didn't have the patience to wait around at the dressage shows, and to be frank loved the freedom of being on my own.
From about 12 years old I started coaching kids after school on our ponies, and started to make a bit of money to help pay for entries and registrations, I also started at that time starting horses for clients. I had worked with mum for many years as her jockey or pick up crew. Mum was always there to guide if needed, which was essential because at that age not everything a teen thinks should work does.
I learned young how to trim feet, having spent hours with our brilliant farrier, always asking what he was doing, he gladly showed my techniques and tips. I was able to trim or reset shoes if needed (this came in handy a few times while out trekking and a horse lost a shoe). We had an amazing education based pony club, so many fabulous coaches who had so much knowledge. I now realise how important that was. We had mothers who knew about equine nutrition, veterinary skills, farriering,
In my summers when not riding and competing my own team of horses, starting for others I worked in for various racing trainers. I helped with started to cart many a winning pacer, and learned to drive at speed. It was not the field I wanted to go into later but I did learn some very good and useful skills. I still remember the first time we did pacework in a group, and how terrified I was when one of the other horses was put right on my tail! The noise and hot breath down my neck was pretty intimidating.
Eventing was a big part of my life, being a stable member on our pony club team for Southern Teams and Springston Trophy. I trialed for Area Trials one season, but my horse ended up vetting out with a virus. I rode my Hanoverian Chestnut "Augustus" to 1* level, and if we could have made the times would have done 2*, he was just too slow, even at 1* if we got clear jump penalties we racked up the time faults. He excelled in the show-jumping so we focused there. He and I jumped in the young rider and the 1.25m series, though were unable to travel further north than Dunedin due to other commitments.
As I was about to start my last year of high school, in the year 2000, I had a sudden realisation that I did not want to go back! So after a bit of negotiation with the family I went on my big OE. During my 7 months abroad I rode Highland ponies in the wilds of Scotland, earning more from tips than I did in wages, dutch horses for a family friend in Holland and spent a month riding horses in Germany. I stayed with a school friend I had met when she came to NZ on exchange, and rode at her stable for a bit until she went on her summer holiday. Then I stayed with another girl I had met who had a local stable, literally 5min walk away from her house. I was able to help many people at the local stable in how to handle their giant warmbloods without the need of a chain, and I learnt so very much from the head instructor at the school I was based. After he thoroughly tested what riding skills I had, apparently he was impressed, as he then allowed me to ride almost any of the horses in the barn. I made money cleaning gear for the horse owners and enjoyed every min of my time there. Sadly my time there ended and headed back home.
Returning the NZ I had the opportunity to ride in the "Lord of the Rings" filming with them for several weeks in central otago. A great experience, though realised that movie life was not my passion, too many hrs waiting around.
I settled into working life, for the Department of Conservation, a 13 year career. I used this to support my horse training activities, and eventually we moved to Canterbury, and the Epona Downs dream began.
In my early days I loved to jump and go fast, but we always understood that schooling was the foundation, proper classical work. It was fairly drilled into us to use the inside leg to outside hand! more leg than hand, use your seat!
My sister and I didn't compete at the same shows, and they often coincided with each other so I was often at big Show-jumping events on my own, or Dad would pop in and see me, watch me ride. My sister was the dressage queen of the family, I just didn't have the patience to wait around at the dressage shows, and to be frank loved the freedom of being on my own.
From about 12 years old I started coaching kids after school on our ponies, and started to make a bit of money to help pay for entries and registrations, I also started at that time starting horses for clients. I had worked with mum for many years as her jockey or pick up crew. Mum was always there to guide if needed, which was essential because at that age not everything a teen thinks should work does.
I learned young how to trim feet, having spent hours with our brilliant farrier, always asking what he was doing, he gladly showed my techniques and tips. I was able to trim or reset shoes if needed (this came in handy a few times while out trekking and a horse lost a shoe). We had an amazing education based pony club, so many fabulous coaches who had so much knowledge. I now realise how important that was. We had mothers who knew about equine nutrition, veterinary skills, farriering,
In my summers when not riding and competing my own team of horses, starting for others I worked in for various racing trainers. I helped with started to cart many a winning pacer, and learned to drive at speed. It was not the field I wanted to go into later but I did learn some very good and useful skills. I still remember the first time we did pacework in a group, and how terrified I was when one of the other horses was put right on my tail! The noise and hot breath down my neck was pretty intimidating.
Eventing was a big part of my life, being a stable member on our pony club team for Southern Teams and Springston Trophy. I trialed for Area Trials one season, but my horse ended up vetting out with a virus. I rode my Hanoverian Chestnut "Augustus" to 1* level, and if we could have made the times would have done 2*, he was just too slow, even at 1* if we got clear jump penalties we racked up the time faults. He excelled in the show-jumping so we focused there. He and I jumped in the young rider and the 1.25m series, though were unable to travel further north than Dunedin due to other commitments.
As I was about to start my last year of high school, in the year 2000, I had a sudden realisation that I did not want to go back! So after a bit of negotiation with the family I went on my big OE. During my 7 months abroad I rode Highland ponies in the wilds of Scotland, earning more from tips than I did in wages, dutch horses for a family friend in Holland and spent a month riding horses in Germany. I stayed with a school friend I had met when she came to NZ on exchange, and rode at her stable for a bit until she went on her summer holiday. Then I stayed with another girl I had met who had a local stable, literally 5min walk away from her house. I was able to help many people at the local stable in how to handle their giant warmbloods without the need of a chain, and I learnt so very much from the head instructor at the school I was based. After he thoroughly tested what riding skills I had, apparently he was impressed, as he then allowed me to ride almost any of the horses in the barn. I made money cleaning gear for the horse owners and enjoyed every min of my time there. Sadly my time there ended and headed back home.
Returning the NZ I had the opportunity to ride in the "Lord of the Rings" filming with them for several weeks in central otago. A great experience, though realised that movie life was not my passion, too many hrs waiting around.
I settled into working life, for the Department of Conservation, a 13 year career. I used this to support my horse training activities, and eventually we moved to Canterbury, and the Epona Downs dream began.