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Bruce Gleeson’s life on the land
BRUCE GLEESON
“”
People say to me, I live in my own little world and I say yes, ain’t it fantastic?
For acclaimed horse and dog trainer Bruce Gleeson, this “fantastic” world is his remote property near Spring Hill.
The Victorian farm is where Gleeson and wife, Evanne Chesson, breed horses, run trail rides and train Golden Kelpies.
Gleeson, 71, admits he's  a throwback in today's high-tech world. But it’s by looking to the past and preserving old skills that he's carved out a humble life that belies the successes of his career.
BRUCE GLEESON
“”
We kill our own meat, we have our own solar power, there’s no electricity which is fantastic. I don’t leave the place much… it’s quite a good lifestyle.
Bruce, who bought his first place at just 15, moved to the bush to escape the urban sprawl.
His property is like a step back in time, complete with wood cabins he built himself in a period style.
He's worked with horses all his life, and the couple's animals have featured in iconic Australian films, including Australia, Phar Lap and The Silver Brumby.  
But his first foray into film in the early 1970s nearly didn’t happen.
BRUCE GLEESON
“”
I was pulling logs out of the bush with some draught horses. A film crew came by... offered me a job and I said, ‘no, I’m quite happy doing what I’m doing’. They annoyed me for  a week before I said OK.
At 14, he worked in racing stables, before moving on to work on an orchard with “a fantastic guy” named Glenn Golding.
BRUCE GLEESON
“”
He was kind of backwards, but that’s forwards to me. Everything was done with the horses. He was an honest, good guy, and taught me a lot about the land, and the environment. 
That period taught him the value of elders and an appreciation for knocking about with old people, because "they taught me everything".
But in a modern world, he fears the value of age and wisdom is waning, adding "I think there’s a prejudice against older people".
BRUCE GLEESON
“”
When we were kids, if you were working they would put you with an older person, it’s like when you put an older sheepdog with a young dog. It’s the basics of life.
Story: Madeleine StuchberyProducer: Gillian McNally Pictures: Zoe Phillips 
																											

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