KEY POINTS:
When Yarrabin's owner, Annie, introduces me to Hope, she says: "If you've ever fantasised about dominating a woman, now's your chance."
Although I knew this was a special adults-only weekend, no one had mentioned anything about this. I also think I'd be more taken with the offer if
Hope didn't weigh 450kg.
Hope is a horse and apparently I'm going to need to be firm with her because she can sometimes be a little obstinate. I give her a rather feeble "I'm the boss" pat as I get into the saddle, but I suspect we both know who's really in charge.
Two years ago the prospect of sitting on any horse, let alone a temperamental teenager like Hope, would have filled me with terror. In 1999 I had a testing encounter in the South Island with a suicidal colt named Jake that almost put me off horses for life. But last year a friend invited me to Yarrabin in New South Wales' Blue Mountains in an attempt to treat my equine phobia and by the end of the weekend I'd been cured.
This is now my third visit and each time my confidence grows and my riding improves.
Much of Yarrabin's success is because it is run by people who genuinely love horses. The property was set up by Annie's parents in 1963 after her father spent a year in America visiting dude ranches - homestead-style properties where city folk could learn to ride.
Annie and her husband, Graeme, took over in 1999 and the emphasis is still on providing a relaxed, family-friendly environment where people can escape the rat-race and enjoy riding through unspoilt Australian bush.
At the start of the weekend we all fill in a detailed questionnaire which is used to match us with a mount from a stable of 31. I wouldn't have been put on Hope when I first came, but Annie reckons that now I'm up to the challenge.
The property stayed free of equine influenza and if you take your own riding gear they'll spray it as a precaution.
There are a dozen of us on the ride today and we amble out of the yard and follow one of the many trails that criss-cross the 1000ha property.
Annie and two other experienced wranglers join us and provide coaching and encouragement along the way.
We start off by walking and then trotting through a forest of striking white gum trees while everyone gets acquainted with their mounts.
Frequently we spot kangaroos moving through the undergrowth, while kookaburras and parrots call from above.
When we emerge into a gently rising paddock there's the opportunity for the more confident riders to canter. It's an amazing thrill, cantering across an open plain towards the Blue Mountains, the ground rushing past under thundering hooves.
To my relief, Hope and I get on great. We have a brief "discussion" when she initially refuses to canter, but after that we're like old friends.
After returning to the property for lunch, we make a beeline for the outdoor pool and spa. Unless you ride regularly, 1.5 hours in the saddle can really take its toll on the nether regions - particularly if you're a bloke. By the end of the fourth ride I was starting to wonder whether I'd ever be capable of siring a temperamental teenager of my own.
Accommodation is in comfortable, air-conditioned motel-style rooms. Some sleep two, others can take six people. Three home-cooked meals a day are served in the communal dining area and I've never managed to leave without having to christen a new notch on my belt. Considering it's the horse that does most of the work, it's amazing how hungry a few hours in the saddle can make you feel.
While the property's specialty is horse riding, they also have guests who come purely to relax and enjoy the scenery and country air.
The communal lounge with fireplace is a perfect spot to linger and if you do get the urge to be energetic there's a tennis court and games room.
Although I visited on one of Yarrabin's regular adults-only weekends (not as dodgy as it sounds - I never once had to throw my car keys into a bowl), the place is also a big hit with kids.
Throughout the year they run regular five-day children's camps where little ones can stay on the property, learn to ride and make friends with lambs, pigs and chickens.
Adults can get involved too and a few of us helped to bring the horses in from the neighbouring field each morning. We fed them hay from the back of the trailer in the afternoon.
During my stay I met Annie's father, Gavin, who started the homestead.
He tells a great yarn about how some of Yarrabin's regular visitors chipped in money back in the 1960s to help him buy some neighbouring land for expansion.
That those same guests are still returning today with their grandchildren says a lot about Yarrabin's enduring appeal.
The writer visited as a guest of Yarrabin.
