Hello from an ex lurking Guinea Pig!

[guinea pig]

Hi,

I have just joined EE as I need all the help I can get so here's my intro:

In November 2006, with a very heavy heart, I had to have my lovely Arab x Welsh Palomino put to sleep.  She was nearly 28 years old and she had been a very good friend for twenty four years and I really thought my horse owning days were at an end.

 The kind people at the diy livery yard where I had kept her for eight years said they would hold my stable and bit of land free of charge for a few months until I had time to decide whether I wanted another horse or not and my family were insistent that I kept a place there and the rent was duly paid for the next year.

At first I really didn’t want to go there at all and my OH went to pay the rent but after a few months I began to realise that I was going to have to get another horse and in April 2007 we  agreed to buy Hareeq a quite adorable ten day old  palomino filly.

 Big decision, too much money and such a responsibility and to cap it all I suddenly found myself going in and out of hospital for quite major surgery. Three operations later I am turning the corner and despite quite a struggle at times (because of my health) I am now the very proud owner of a beautiful, extremely intelligent, three year old filly.

Despite not being able to do half of the things I would like to have done with her we are really progressing well and to my great excitement we are now able to lunge with a saddle and bridle on.  We started free schooling and now she is just getting used to wearing her tack on the lunge before I experiment with long reining with visions of Becky Holden’s recent excellent demonstration still fresh in mind.

I first encountered Enlightened Equitation when I attended a coffee morning kindly hosted by Heather at East Leigh and Heather ‘blew me away’.  Not only did she obviously know her stuff but she knew how to pass her knowledge on in a down to earth way, was extremely generous and clearly very passionate about horses.

Not having been on a horse properly for probably about five years, as my old mare was not up to being ridden in the latter years, and having had so many health issues I was extremely concerned about getting back riding.

I never had style, having learnt to ride on beach ponies but I did have great stickability but as you can imagine a quite sharp youngster is not the ideal starting point and so I jumped at the kind offer from Heather to be a guinea pig for one of her teaching simulator courses. 

I am totally hooked! Heather’s simulators are really good.  It was fantastic to be able to just concentrate on sitting without the worry of the horse. Heather made me feel that although I may have a long way to go there was light at the end of the tunnel.

So I’m an old happy hacker who now has ambitions of grandeur and I am undoubtedly over horsed but what the heck!

A few times I have come back from the stables absolutely worn out and I have said to my OH what on earth am I doing.  I’m over 50 still not very well with a young sharp horse and he has said ‘You’re actually living, some people never manage that!’
I am someone who eventually manages to find a way to get by technically so I have no photos with this introduction but when I get my act together I’ll try and put some on here to let you see Hareeq.

So a big hello to everyone but bye for now,

Chris

[Claire]

hello; i like your OH's comments!  live life to the full as you want to and we look forward to the pics!

[Taliessin]

    Hi, and welcome! 

[shoveltrash]

hi & welcome!
www.photobucket.com is an easy & user friendly site for uploading your piccies, then copy/pasting the "img" code into your post .  can't wait to *see* your lovely filly!

[Wendy]

  Hello and welcome! 

Photobucket is great for pics and videos. Only use youtube for vids if you want Issywizz to see them.   

[Icy Lady]

Hello and welcome 

[Heather]

Hey Chris!!! Lovely to see you here!

Things are going to be a bit fraught the next few weeks as all being well, my stepmum has to go in for a hip replacement, but when we are a bit better sorted, you must come down again.

Heather

[Cobstar]

  Hello and welcome to EE. Looking forward to hearing more about you and Hareeq

[crdodgeon]

Hello and welcome! 

[Amanda1950]

Hello & Welcome 

[guinea pig]

Thank you all for the lovely welcome!

I have used photo bucket in the past but have got a bit of a problem with access to my photos on there as I have  have had password issues but their admin. lot have given me a solution which hopefully my more technically switched on daughter will sort out when she comes to stay this weekend.

Heather - hope your step mum's op. goes ok, it is amazing what wonderful results these hip ops. can achieve so hopefully it won't be too traumatic and be worthwhile.  Thank you for the kind offer for the future, I have been waiting to see what my consultant says when I see her in mid August so I'm in no real hurry.  I had intended taking up your recommendation of the lady in Hampshire as my daughter was living and working in Southampton but would you believe it she suddenly got a fantastic offer from her firm for a year's secondment in London, has relocated and now thinks she might stay in London for even longer! Still I can't complain as we are really proud of her although next time she's getting removers and flat cleaners as the wrinklies were worn out getting her there!

Hareeq seems to be doing really well having accepted her rather heavy saddle but I've still got loads to do with her before we get on top and she has a bit more maturing to do.

This is actually the second time I have tried to put up this post so sorry if it looks I have been ignoring everyone's replies.   I think I need computer lessons as well as riding lessons.

Bye for now,

Chris







 

[ChrissieW]

  Hello and welcome.

Looking forward to seeing some pictures of your filly 

[ViceVersa]

Hi 
Can't wait to see pictures of your filly, she sounds lovely!!
I would love to have a lesson on the simulator, sounds like you found it interesting 
Lauren x