It's all about me
Since the last post was all about Miss D, I guess I had better introduce her pilot.
I live in Perth Western Australia. It's a long way from anything, if you don't like wide open spaces. I started riding when I was 6, on a kindly Shetland called Pickles. My brother also learnt to ride, and because he was younger than me, I made him ride the pony I was too scared to, Penny (I met Penny at pony club many years later. My fears were not unfounded!).
From 6, I sat on a horse every year, but wasn't that interested. Then one day at about 11 a switch flicked on in my head much to my parents dismay, I became horse crazy. From 12 I was having weekly lessons, and soon started cleaning stables to be around the horses more. in exchange I got to ride my lesson horse. This arrangement suited my parents just fine until I was 16 and the riding school closed.
My dad always told me 'you can have a horse when you can buy one yourself'. Like any horse mad girl, I found a way through this. I discovered you could lease horses! My first horse was Dusty. He was a thoroughbred, and he scared me. Although I was an experienced riding school rider, I quickly discovered that that meant nothing in the real world. Dusty also found this out. After 6 months I realised that we weren't meant to be and gave him back.
My next lease horse I had for 4 year. Good old Pete. Pete is the horse who gave me a love for chestnuts, he was an older gentleman and raced as Bundy Bullet. Together we went to pony club, and he taught me to love jumping even though he hated it. He was my best friend through my last 2 tough years at high school, and he saw me through my first years at university. We pretty much had one stop every round, but I persisted, and one day we discovered eventing. It was not successful but I caught the bug! We went to many events together and we learnt together until I decided that Pete's heart wasn't in it. He is now enjoying his well deserved retirement!
Mini (a 16hh clyde x) taught me about eventing for a short period and gave me a lot of experience, but I still wasn't very successful. It didn't bother me, it was fun and that is all that matters.
Snoopy was the first horse who was mine. I bought him when I was 21, and he was 4. He is the horse that taught me how to ride. He was tricky. He was big. He was a baby. He is bay. Snoopy had really only been broken when I bought him. He knew how to stop and go, but nothing else. So I started with him from scratch, with my dedicated coach and we had many ups and downs together. He taught me so much that I know today, but after 4 years, I decided he wasn't going to be my eventing super star so we parted ways for the best. I loved him and saying goodbye was one of the hardest things I have done in my riding career, but I love seeing him out and about with his new owner and I know that the things they do are not things that he and I could do.
Currently, I have 2 horses, Coolie (Cunnamore Cool Change) and Dakota (The Accidental Eventer). Coolie is a 13 year old Australian Stock Horse (chestnut). I bought him while I still had Snoopy, and we have been eventing together for 4 years. Before I got him he had done a few bits, but had never really jumped. We both started from the bottom and have slowly been making our way up the levels and currently compete at EvA95, and are planning our 105 upgrade. He is a XC machine and loves his job. He is a bit tricky to ride and dressage is not our thing, but we work hard and it pays off. We have had varying success over the years, and have placed a few times. Each event we do we better ourselves. Being not very good at stressage means we usually sit midfield, but I'm one of those people who think eventing is about beating yourself, not other competitors (that's probably because I never win!). I'm sure he will feature in many posts to come. Who could not love Coolie?
In my spare time between eventing I work full time to support my addiction. I have a very supportive OH, even though I stole his horse. It's ok though, he steals mine!
 |
| Coolie the super horse |
From 6, I sat on a horse every year, but wasn't that interested. Then one day at about 11 a switch flicked on in my head much to my parents dismay, I became horse crazy. From 12 I was having weekly lessons, and soon started cleaning stables to be around the horses more. in exchange I got to ride my lesson horse. This arrangement suited my parents just fine until I was 16 and the riding school closed.
My dad always told me 'you can have a horse when you can buy one yourself'. Like any horse mad girl, I found a way through this. I discovered you could lease horses! My first horse was Dusty. He was a thoroughbred, and he scared me. Although I was an experienced riding school rider, I quickly discovered that that meant nothing in the real world. Dusty also found this out. After 6 months I realised that we weren't meant to be and gave him back.
My next lease horse I had for 4 year. Good old Pete. Pete is the horse who gave me a love for chestnuts, he was an older gentleman and raced as Bundy Bullet. Together we went to pony club, and he taught me to love jumping even though he hated it. He was my best friend through my last 2 tough years at high school, and he saw me through my first years at university. We pretty much had one stop every round, but I persisted, and one day we discovered eventing. It was not successful but I caught the bug! We went to many events together and we learnt together until I decided that Pete's heart wasn't in it. He is now enjoying his well deserved retirement!
Mini (a 16hh clyde x) taught me about eventing for a short period and gave me a lot of experience, but I still wasn't very successful. It didn't bother me, it was fun and that is all that matters.
Snoopy was the first horse who was mine. I bought him when I was 21, and he was 4. He is the horse that taught me how to ride. He was tricky. He was big. He was a baby. He is bay. Snoopy had really only been broken when I bought him. He knew how to stop and go, but nothing else. So I started with him from scratch, with my dedicated coach and we had many ups and downs together. He taught me so much that I know today, but after 4 years, I decided he wasn't going to be my eventing super star so we parted ways for the best. I loved him and saying goodbye was one of the hardest things I have done in my riding career, but I love seeing him out and about with his new owner and I know that the things they do are not things that he and I could do.
 |
| Coolie's big nose |
In my spare time between eventing I work full time to support my addiction. I have a very supportive OH, even though I stole his horse. It's ok though, he steals mine!
Comments
Post a Comment