Born again newbie!

[CarolineJ]

Hello!

I had an EE account YEARS ago (seriously, must be close to a decade) and thought it was about time I came back    Will send my dosh in when I see how much is left in the horse budget after this month's feed bill...  I was lucky enough to have a short course with Sue Carnell on the simulators and schoolmasters - can't remember the year (old age is catching up), but it was very soon after Lippi died - and to this day it remains the most useful riding instruction I've ever had.

Anyway, I'm Caroline, I moved to the north coast of Scotland three years ago where I live with my husband, two springer spaniels and a Hungarian horse called Merlin who I'm being a big wuss about riding.  2012 is going to be different...

Looking forward to (re!)meeting you all 

[thecatsmother]

I was lucky enough to have a short course with Sue Carnell on the simulators and schoolmasters - can't remember the year (old age is catching up), but it was very soon after Lippi died - and to this day it remains the most useful riding instruction I've ever had.

Yep, SueC is a very good teacher, isn't she 

Welcome back 

[nona]

Welcome back.  I was around about a decade ago, and I am a bit of a wuss as a rider!  So much in common..............

But you will remember that pics are compulsory.

Nona

[crdodgeon]

hello and welcome (back)

Yes, we need pics, of course. Do hope you're not getting blown away up there atm...

[Talltails]

Hello 

I just rejoined after a long time away.  Used to be on New Rider too, long time ago. It's been great, really good resource, so much to read 

Hope you are surviving the mad weather today, I am hibernating down here in Glasgow...

[ParisDiamond]

Hiya, I look forward to hearing how you get on in 2012 

[Taliessin]

   Hello and welcome back! 

[Heather]

Its lovely to get new members, but somehow even nicer to welcome old friends back! Welcome to both Carolinej and Talltails!! 

[CarolineJ]

Sorry, forgot the obligatory photos!  Here we go...

First, and most important, Merlin in his winter coat (pic about 4 years old from a previous home - poor guy has lived in 10 different places in the past 5 years and he's been here 18 months):


Merlin changing to summer colours and the view from home (see why I love it here??  And yes, direct hacking access onto that beach for when I'm over my wussiness - the one time I tried to hack him down there he napped so much that I gave up after half an hour and marched him round the planned route in hand instead!):



The woofers!  Red on the left (aged 13 if we believe the paperwork she was handed in with, which we don't) and Smokey on the right (aged 7).  Big shout out for NESSR (Northern English Springer Spaniel Rescue), who do a fabulous job rehoming wonderful dogs like these two:



And last but not least - us, in rather more glamourous garb than normal 4 months ago  (picture used with permission of photographer):

[crdodgeon]

Gorgeous pics - and your location is just absolutely stunning!! 

[nona]

Fab pics; all of them.

Thanks for sharing.

Nona

[Louise C]

Oh welcome   Wonderful pictures

Hope you're OK in all this weather!

[CarolineJ]

Oh welcome   Wonderful pictures

Hope you're OK in all this weather!

Thanks    This week's weather has missed us, other than a bit of hail yesterday, but we took some damage last week - a couple of tiles off the roof, a large chunk of harling off the chimney stack and the field shelter/stable, which hadn't shifted when we clocked 85mph the week before, migrated two FEET south and popped most of the nails holding the roof felt on.  Fortunately Merlin wasn't in it at the time, thanks to the Horse & Hound Online forum who'd replied to my 'shall I shut him in tonight?' query with a 100% response rate of 'leave him out'!  25 miles away a barn roof caved in on several stabled horses, fortunately nothing more physically serious than a few scratches.

[CarolineJ]

Oh, and I emailed off my EE membership form yesterday, together with a PayPal payment, so I look forward to joining in more thoroughly soon 

[mrsmills]

Only just caught up with this, so a belated welcome

Fantastic photos, and a seriously beautiful location - talk about a field with a view!