Let's Meet!

[Portia]

Well, it’s so hard for me to talk about myself, but if you insist

41 years old, single, lawyer with a mega-firm, lived in Houston since '86, before that born and raised in California (San Diego, family is still in CA). Graduated with a degree in Dramatic Arts from San Diego State, then after a few years went back to law school at University of San Diego.

I grew up riding saddleseat, then rode off and on for a while through school, took it up again seriously 8 years ago. Evented for a while and now do the adult jumpers up to 3’6" - 3’9".

Two horses, 12 year old chestnut Trakehner gelding Lucien and 4 year old grey Oldenburg mare Portia, both are jumpers but my trainer shows Portia.

Three cats, 10 year old grey female tabby named Greyling [a/k/a her evil twin, Grelnig], and two 8 month old kittens, sisters, a black and white named Monster and a grey/brown/white tabby named Creature. Love dogs but not home enough to keep one so I spoil the barn dogs.

[Mac]

To HuntJumpSC,
Thanks! I guess I’m just stubbon, I can’t give up on horses. After all if I had a car accident I would get in a car again otherwise I would be stuck home alone. I figure it works the same way with horses. I just love being around them and working with them so why make myself miserable by not doing what makes me happy! I’m looking forward to getting to know all of you on the board, I’m sure we have a lot to learn from each other

[SoEasy]

Ok My turn I guess.
My name is April and I am (ew)46, married, two kids in college. I currently work for the PA Dept of Environmental Protection in the State ‘superfund’ program. I have an Akita named Flash - a great mover - and the kids two cats live with us. (for some reason they are not allowed in dorms, or even apartments where their owner is the only non-allergic person around!)
I have been riding since I was 2 - with the requisite time off in college. Rode in France for 3 years as a kid, with old Saumur hands as instructors, came back to Pickering Pony Club, back when combined training was the only Rally they had, fox hunted, did h/j. I was the barn rider for a dealer in high school, and often got to ride the ‘unrideable’ horses from other peoples barns. Worked after college as a trainer, then at Heritage Saddlery in West Chester, PA. Still live on the farm I grew up on - my sister is a trainer. I bought an ‘investment’ horse off the track years ago, fell in love with him and kept him for >11 years. We fox hunted, and could win in the hunter or jumper ring, sometimes on the same day. He broke his hock in the field in 12/98. I still miss him. I don’t own a horse right now - Easy is irreplaceable! (not that I have any available funds - I send all my money to either RIT or USC!)
I am riding a very nice Roemer mare these days, for her currently non-riding owner.

Oh yeah almost forgot Weatherford and I go back a ways !

[This message has been edited by SoEasy (edited 01-14-2000).]

[relocatedTXjumpr]

okay, ive been around a few weeks but guess i never formally introduced myself, so… i am 20 years old, soon to be 21, and live just north of atlanta, ga. i moved here three years ago from austin, texas. i have been riding for almost 15 years, although the past few ive been kinda riding on and off trying to find a good barn. i attened virginia intermont college for a semester and decieded that school was not for me!! in texas i showed fequently, in the childrens jumpers, many medal classes and adult hunters. durring my junior years i showed mainly in the green hunters as i was training my horse “blame it on texas”, or parker as he was known around the barn. we had several bad incidents with a trainer out there and he retired at the age of 8. i brought him out here and a few years ago donated him to a handicapped riding facilty down the road. i love horses, all kinds, i even used to barrel race when i was younger! i have a part black lab part german shepard dog named buddy, i think im turning into a redneck, lol. looking forward to making new friends. if anyone knows a good place to ride in this area, there is another thread around here somewhere about it and i could really use the help!!

[Torey]

Hi, age 40 something(early 40’s)Been riding since I was 11yrs. old with a break for collage, first marriage and separation. First thing I did when I separated was start riding again. Trained a QH/TB cross gelding who started out barrel racing and team roping to A/A Hunter Reserve Champion year-end award in 1992. Purchased a green 8yr. old TB gelding last year(picked him up New’s Year’s Eve). Hope to do pre-green’s with him this year, then will see about A/A’s or 1st year’s, depending on how brave I am. Married, husband has 2 horses and team ropes. Have a cat and a black lab x blue heeler. Oh yeah from So. CT. and ride with the BEST trainer. Got that year end all by myself as she was not able to attend more than 2 shows with me. Definate pet-peeve is/are riders who don’t do anything without their trainers. This is fun…Have been reading these forums at work(during lunch) and just decided to register as I’m sitting home with one of the cold bugs that’s going around. Wish you all good times.

[SoEasy]

Yes Lisa - you do know me!

[SillyRider]

Hey You Guys! (It was neat to read everybodies enties.)

I am SillyRider and I am nineteen years old. I just turned professional almost two years ago (as soon as I turned 18). I now ride other people’s horses and have no horse to call my own (soo sad), I also teach lessons. I have my own barn, which I have had since I was nine years old. I grow up in the south, where there were horses always around me. Between shows I try to manage college (gosh thats be a trip). Before I turned pro. I had four horses: my pony, who sadly passed away, my small hunter, my large hunter, and my eq horse. I miss them so much!! Anyway! thats me.

My most recent news is that I am preparing to go to Fla. just like most everybody on this board.

[showrider]

I have a Tb mare that is Built more on the warmblood side. I have owned for about 15+ years now. When I first got her, we showed in the Maiden/Novice divisions. We moved up to the Limits, then the Mini’s and Children’s hunter, then to the Big Equi. After my Juniors where up, we went to the Adult Ams, up to the A/O. My trainer at the time did her in the first and second year greens up to the Open Hunters.
Now all Erin and I do are the State stuff. I don’t show her over 2’6 any more. She doesn’t need to do it, although she is more that capable of doing it.
I also have a JR puppy named Kolby. He is not you typical Jack. He is great to have around.
I am 30 yrs. old, with 3 kids. The youngest being 4, and the oldest being 8. They all have the same father, but we are not together anymore.

[AKDragooPhoto]

What a geat idea. I know two people on this list, and J. Turner {my roommate when she worked for Practicle} Congats.

As for me… My name is Amy and for the next two weeks I’ll be 28. I have ridden since first grade. Once a week I packed off to the DC suburbs to ride with the wife of one of my father’s coworkers. {I wanted to go back another day for pony club but once a week was enough of a bargining chip to keep me quiet.}

When she stopped teaching I was in fifth grade which put a stop to my riding until eighth, when my astute parents realized what depressed and socially outcast child I was and decided to spend my college money on private school. {One of the} Best decisions they ever made, as I got to ride again {on campus} and turned my teenage angst around {I graduated valedictorian}.

All my free time during those high school years were dedicated to a 14.2 Arab/Welsh cross who is to this day worth his weight in gold. I showed him occasionally, as a pony hunter and in equitation. The few ribbons we won were hard earned, and if he taught me anything it was to do this for fun not for prizes.

Rode Intercollegiate through college, took a couple years off and now have started riding again. The best thing to come out of my last relationship was being introduced to his mother’s tennis partner who was looking for barn help. That has progressed to being “given” a very green 5-year-old Trakehner mare to train.

As for career, I am currently one of three staff photographers at a 35,000 circulation paper in suburabn Philadelphia and support my equine habit by freelancing {www.equisearch.com/photographers/dragoo.html}. I am single, have springer spaniel {Thorn} who J. Turner found for me and not enough hours in the day for all that I want to do.

[Anne]

I’ve left this a bit late, but here goes! I started riding when I was 6, but I’ve never had a horse of my own. I’m in college at one of the very “equine” schools in the Southeast, and plan to go to veterinary school. (I can’t decide if I want to do small animals or horses, though, or maybe both!)

My eventual goal is to have a practice of my own, and also to rehab TBs from the track for useful lives in the hunters and jumpers. (Mostly I want to find a nice hunter for myself!)

I have a lovely Brittany dog but I don’t see her as much as I’d like. The barn dogs at school kinda take her place, but it’s not the same! I also have a “thing” for black labbies and plan to get a puppy as soon as I have the right environment for one.

Oh, my other major interest is the Thoroughbred lines that produce hunters and sporthorses of note. As you can imagine, I am a great fan of Dr. Birdsall’s Chronicle Commentaries!

[This message has been edited by Anne (edited 01-17-2000).]

[KC]

Hello to all! I’ve been lurking here for many months but will throw off my cloak and say, “howdy!”

I’m Kristin; I’m 30 years old and live in Virginia between the fabled Hunt Country and Washington, D.C. Since birth I’ve been horse-obsessed and have a fine collection of Breyer models to prove it!

I rode whenever I could beg, borrow or steal the opportunity. About 5 years ago I decided to “try” riding lessons and my obsession was instantly renewed.

Now I lease a horse and hope to purchase one next year (cross your fingers!) I ride in Adult Amateurs at local shows and hope to try a “bigger” show within the next year.

This fall my non-horsey fiance and I will be married at the stables. I’m still tossing around the idea of riding into the event. . . If anyone has attempted such madness I’d love to hear your advice!

It’s been nice to learn more about the people here. I’ve learned a lot from lurking and listening.

[This message has been edited by KC (edited 01-18-2000).]

[redhorse05]

Thanks, Ben & me!
I love to read about horsey people, no matter what discipline they ride. And I do love to jump too, just don’t tel! BUT it’s nice to know there are other ‘closet’ dressage types here too!
Any other non-DQ’s here?

[Starz]

Hey everyone!
Well Im new to this board… My name is Danielle. Im 14 and Im from Ohio ~ I ride hunter jumpers. Im startin the Small Juniors this year with my new horse. Her name is Simplicity (Gloria), shes awesome ~ we just got her from France. Well last year I did the Medium Ponys on my old pony Giorgio (Georgie) and the childrens jumpers on my old jumper Turnabout (Maggie). We sold Georgie right before Indoors and we retired Maggie. Umm… My first show this year (Hopefully) besides a few barn shows first will be the two weeks of the Spring Atlantas. Hehe i cant wait!!!
I have two sisters, they both ride too ~ they ride ponies. My littlest sister has the small pony Beanie Baby and my other sister has the large pony Minuet. We also own a small pony that is being leased out named Cummerbund.
Well if anyone wants to chat email me at SiMpLiCiTy1123@aol.com or Bubblebabe115@aol.com
BYE!

[TequilaSun]

Hi, my name is Meg

Personal life: I’m 15 years old, I go to an all girls school in Toronto, I’m in grade 11, I’m fast-tracking through school b/c I hate it and I want to ride. My goals are to compete at the NAYRC and represent Canada at the Olympics. I plan on going to Wilfrid Laurier University and becoming a Sports Psychologist, and owning a Pinto Sporthorse breeding operation on the side.

Horse Life: I own a 4 year old pinto/selle francais gelding named Tequila Sunrise. Eventually he will be one of those virtually unbeatable pushbuttons who are very expensive (yes, my goal is for him to put me through University <G> ). He is a 10+ mover and a 10+ jumper. Very scopey, could do jumpers, but I’m going to keep him as a hunter for a number of years. Tequila’s really calm and quiet (usually) which makes him really a great match for me, b/c he is the first green horse that I’ve ever owned.

There’s me!! PonyKid, this was a great idea!

[Ben_and_Me]

Oh wow Ponykid, I’m honored that you mentioned my name, I’m probably one of the youngest posters on this forum! I’m 13, show in Children’s Hunters, and live in NC. My horse, Ben, is a TB Gelding, 15 years old, around 16.1 hands. We’re going to be looking for a scopier horse sometime soon. I’ve been riding since I was 5 and I really love horses! I like all of the people on this forum and enjoy learning from all of their expirience.

Welcome!

[system]

You may be getting more info than you wanted Ponykid, but here goes: I’m new to the board and to riding. I’m 40 and began riding about 6 months ago (this, mind you, is the best thing I’ve ever done).

I have been swimming competitively for 31 years and skiing (downhill) for 27 years and just needed to try something new. I have a long, long road ahead of me, but I already know I’ll be riding till I drop. I’m currently leasing a 15 year old QH who is an absolute gem. He’s teaching me a boatload and he’s very tolerant of my beginner mistakes.

I’m an environmental attorney in Washington, D.C. After many years at the “mega-firms” I now work in-house for a former client and LOVE it! I now actually have time to do things like ride!

I’m married to a professional swimming coach and we spend alot of our free time sea-kayaking together. Last year we did the coast of Connecticut and Rhode Island. We hope to continue on up the New England coast this summer (I went to undergrad at UNH and I would love to make it up that far). In the near future, however, I’m off to an equestrian center in Northern Ireland for some intensive instruction and just plain fun. My husband thinks I’m nuts -I just got back from skiing in Montana with my mom. Well, I HAVE TO use that accumulated vacation time after all!

Instead of children, my husband and I have opted for 3 cats; Decaf is a 2yr old Ragdoll, Mariner is a 2yr old Maine Coon, and Rimsky is a 9 month old Siberian. All are precocious, affectionate fur balls.

Let’s see, what else? I’m working on my MPA in nonprofit management, I love to cook, I love wine tasting and collecting, I love to read, and I’m a terrible gardener but I keep trying.

Guess thats plenty – thanx for initiating the intros. Skiis

[barngirl]

Great Idea ponykid… I too have felt like i was starting to know some people on the board, but it is nice to get to know them a little better… so here goes…
I am 27 and live in southern Michigan south of Ann Arbor, for all the University of Michigan fans… I’m not one… graduated from Indiana University in 1995!!!
I bought my first horse four years ago… Riley is a tb gelding… whom many posters know I have been having problems with and whom I hope to find a nice retired type setting for very soon. My other two horse came to me this summer when my birthmother whom I had found five years ago passed away from cancer in may. One horse Mickey ( short for Michaelangelo) is registered Dutch warmblood. He is five and came to me untrained. We have been bonding since August and are getting down to the task of learning to be a hunter/jumper. Last wekend he showed he does have jump and I am very excited. My third horse is Tiara a registered Swedis Warmblood mare. She is 14 and no one had really done anything with her… so we are overcoming a battle of wills… she wants to be a boss mare and i want to see her potential and hopefully breed her…though I realize that time is running out on that. Hopefully we will be showing on the B-circuit this summer. though i am not sure that Mickey will be ready.
I love my small but close barn and spend my whole weekend there, and just about every evening. Come home eat, watch a little tv and then check the board before going to bed!!! I have learned alot and hope to continue to get new ideas from the forum.
Oh I also have two cats… Milo an male Manx ( no tail cat!!!) and SLinky a looooong black cat who was dumped at the barn and who we needed at the apartment for Milo because he was getting fat and lazy with out a daytime buddy!!

[Duffy]

Hi there. As you can see, I’m very new to this BB, (heck, I’m new to PC’s, E-Mail, anything to do with this stuff)! I don’t even know what the little mail icons mean on top of each posting. . .can someone help me out? I’m in my 40’s, have two great kids, one wonderful lease horse, one hopefully great horse on trial, one pony, one ancient lab, one JR (less than year old), one older cat and one middle-aged cat. I show in the A/A’s and Adult Equitation. I have been horse-crazy for as long as I can remember. I had a bad accident my freshman year of high school - large pony left out a stride/hit solid rail on real outside course and flipped over with my pelvis breaking his fall, after my helmeted head and collarbone broke my fall. My father was really hoping I would give it up, ha ha. My mother was very supportive. I was riding, sneaking on behind the barns, way before I was supposed to. I guess I’m kind of calamity - Off and on it seems as if I’ve been riding forever (since 5th grade-the old 1x/week riding school programs-begging my father for “another series of 8!!” every two months), but between various injuries and two pregnancies, nothing to ride sabaticals, etc. I guess it hasn’t been that many decades. This is my first Valentine’s Day without a human sweetheart since I can remember. . .Thank goodness for the horses . . .They were there when my father left, when my brother died, when my sister died, and most recently, when my husband left. Well, that was more than I had planned on sharing - and I’m sure more than ya’ll wanted to read about - sorry. I suppose we’re all here because of our love/addiction to the horses and thanks!

[LucianCephus]

Stephanie–

A bit off the topic, but could you tell me who you train with? As most people on this board know, I suffer from OCD when it comes to barns in the Boston area. Happy where I am for now, but who knows?

Incidentally, my ponies are currently at Castle Neck in Essex.

[shiloh]

Well, this is interesting…

My name is Michele, I live in Gilroy, CA (Garlic Capitol of the World - yum, yum) with my 3 kitties and my horse.

My horse is named Shiloh aka Sharpe’s Diamond; he is a 19 yr old Thoroughbred gelding, white (well sometimes). He is a former jumper, who now has a career as a dressage horse. I recently discovered that he has been trained to 3rd level so that was exciting. He is the best boy and I adore him.

The cats are: Tessa, a siamese cross; Lula the Ragdoll and Amber the Abby cross. I can’t imagine my life without them.

I am single, have a college edg-amcashun and a BS degree (how appropriate), but due to some various obstacles on the path of life, did not wind wind up where I wanted to be but am now working as an appt clerk for a hospital - and frankly I hate hate hate it, but it puts a roof over my head and pays for my addiction to animals. I have an extensive background in law enforcement - on the right side of the law, mind you…=)

I ride dressage now and think I will stick with it - it seems to appeal to the perfectionist in me.

My first horse was a beautiful Morgan mare named Tetonia Anna Marie that I got for free in 1986. She died in 1994 and I miss her still. My next 2 horses were mustangs and that is another story for another time - one got stolen, the other I had to give away because we clashed so bad. I leased a cute Appy mare for awhile but when I started showing her owners decided they really needed her back. Then I got my wonderful Shiloh.

Hmmm…other interests? You mean besides horses? Are there any - LOL!! No really, I’m an amateur birder - recently got my 15 minutes of fame when I spotted a rare bird for my area (a Sandhill crane), I read and sew and like to travel. Hate housecleaning, cooking - not very domestic I guess, but when I do it, it’s done well. I love heavy metal music but rap and new age just make me grit my teeth.

I guess that’s enough - now wake up! I heard you snoring!

(Notice that I did not tell my age - let’s just say it is old enough to know better S)

[This message has been edited by shiloh (edited 02-15-2000).]