Hello
I am married, 42, live in Haymarket, Virginia and have a Wonderful 14 year old son that is Captain of his Wrestling Team & undefeated so far 
(I have to take time from the horses to watch Him) I run a large boarding/breeding farm. I started riding hunters when I was 9, bought my first horse at 18 (a yearling for $400.) and then changed to Dressage/& some novice eventing. My husband said I could not have any more than 1 horse. 
So now I own 2 ponies, 4 Dutch/Hanoverian/TB broodmares,a 4 year old Dutch gelding, a 2 year old Dutch/Hann gelding, a 2 year old Hanoverian Stallion prospect, a yearling Westfalen filly, and a yearling B/W tobiano Draft cross filly + 1 Dutch Stallion “Nevada” http://www.stallionsonline.com/nevada.htm
Oh yeah, I still own my original $400. horse (he will be 25 this summer) and I have 4 more foals on the way! AND I AM STILL MARRIED TO THE SAME MAN! At least for now. 
I haven’t ridden now in about 10 years, but really enjoy my babies showing in the “In hand” classes. My stallion will be showing as a jumper this spring. I hope to sell all of you a horse so I won’t be in so much trouble with You Know Who (25th Anniversary next year, Hope I make it 
Hi and welcome to the board. I’m 14 yrs old (just turned!) and live in Minnesnota! (unfortunetly!) I have 2 wonderful ponies both large… One is a light bay 4 socks and a star on her pretty little head. She’s a welsh swedish warmblood cross (kinda crazy hu?)she’s 8 years old and I love her to death. The other one is a dapple grey sooo pretty… and pure welch.19 years old…A little trooper is what he is. Now that I jsut recently purchased my baby my two little sisters have started to show both of themt I just recently in September bought my baby boy Mickie, I love him to death. He’s my first “greenie” only 4 yrs old he’s bay and has one long blaze! A challenge to ride but very fun…Once again welcome to the board!!!
[This message has been edited by Chentilly Express (edited 02-13-2000).]
Oh well…44, recently single again, family from MA, moved to south FL in 1957, back to MA in 1967, back to south FL (which I found considerably changed) as an adult in 1986.
BA Dartmouth College 1977, double major in English and Biology/Psychology. One thesis short of MS in marine ecology. (Just for you, Portia–one semester law school, wrong hoops for me…<G> ) Conventional jobs include: Stringer for regional newspaper; magazine industry; litigation legal assistant, non-legal writing. Unconventional jobs include: hotel and restaurant industries; picture framing; PADI SCUBA instructor and divemaster in FL and Bahamas. Current plans in process.
Rode in teens, pony club, local shows, with a great old-time horseman (who probably would horrify some people now <G> ) and stopped in college. Re-obsessed 3 years ago, one-plus year layoff when first horse retired. Now very happy owner of 12yo TB gelding…who knows what we will accomplish <G>.
Visitation rights and pet support of 3 great cats. My wonderful Dobie was put down last summer, and I’m preparing for a new Dobie puppy now. Also like reading fiction, tennis, all things marine, writing and debating <G>, comparative religion, philosophy, ethics…etc.
[This message has been edited by Nancey Phillips Fisher (edited 01-14-2000).]
Hey, what a great idea! Guess I’ll throw my two cents in! My name is Kelly and I have been riding since I was 11. I started out doing Saddle Seat Eq., when I was 11 after I begged my mom for lessons. I did that for three years on and off, about two lessons a month, usally on Saturday mornings. I rode a 15.2H chesnut half Arab, half Saddleberd gelding for my lessons all three years. I learned to walk, trot, canter, circles, etc., for the whole time but, it was a blast, so I didn’t care that I wasn’t jumping! Then I took a year and a half off for school and other things ( LONG STORY ) and didn’t ride except for riding camp in the summer.( I couldn’t stay COMPLETELY away from the horses no matter how hard I tried ) ! Then in the late fall of '97, I started asking my mom for lessons agian. She called around to the local barns and found me a barn that taught English riding. That’s where I am right now. She found me my current trainer Kris, who is the GREATEST!She’s the one that started me jumping and she is also the one that helped me start leasing one of the horse’s that she is training! She was the one that supproted me last Thursday, when I jumped my FIRST EVER 2’9" JUMP! She had the confedince(sp?) in me to do it and I DID IT! Then she had the nerve to tell me that my horse is capable of jumping 4’3"! Thanks Kris, like I needed to hear that! My barn is going to move REALLY soon to a new place and I cann’t wait! Enough said! Thanks for reading!
Louise: People have told me about it getting worse before it gets better. It was starting to look good util he popped the stitches open. I really don’t think it’s ever goin gto seal up! Has anyone else ever had something simalar to this? How long did it take to close up? The vet is coming out @ 8:30 tomorrow to consider taking the drain out, and any other options we may have.
I’ve been lurking here since the beginning of the year - guess it’s about time I started to participate…
I’m Pat; I live in NH and ride with the same trainer (Joe Forest) as PonyFan and BigEqRider. I’ve got a 20(!) year old TB named Cairo (“It’s Greek to Me”) - we do the (very) low jumpers. I’ve also got a slightly bewildered but understanding husband and an old dog named Grendel.
I’ve been riding, off and on, since I was 9, but didn’t get my Very Own Horse until I was 30 (several years, and horses, ago :-> ). My favorite book about riding is still probably Jane Marshall Dillon’s School for Young Riders - I rode with one of Mrs. Dillon’s “girls” when I was a child, and later got to ride at her Junior Equitation School (though alas, not while I was a junior). It was a fantastic foundation.
For a short time in the last '80s, I played “InGate Keeper” (that’s the polite term) for the winter shows at The Barracks in Charlottesville, VA. I ran as tight a ring as possible - it’s interesting how well folks will cooperate and be at the gate on time if they understand that it’s the same rules for everyone. Of course, what’s possible in a one-ring indoor winter show is not necessarily doable with more rings or outdoor venues, and there’s always someone who has to be difficult…
Enough about me. This is a great forum! Nice to meet all of you.
What a great idea!
I started riding at 9 when I won a bet with my father if I got straight A’s I would get a pony. I got that in writing and told my teacher about it. The A’s came and so did the pony - a 14.2 Qh with a roached mane and banged tail, who I tried bareback! He ended up winning everything on our local circuit as a hunter pony and taught many kids how to ride at my trainer’s stable for 20 years! From that I was lucky enough to move on to “fancy” ponies - from Mrs. Taylor. I had a successful time on the A circuit with my ponies until going off to college. After college I got back into horses, trying eventing and dressage but now have come back to my original obsession - hunters. Right now I have 6:
Yrlg IHF tb who is my first experience at breeding myself and is lovely. I hope to see him show on the line this year. I own his mother as well who I will most likely breed to Zarr this spring.
10 y.o. Tb gelding who is my A/A horse that I brought back after 2 yrs suffering from white line disease. He did the a/o and green comf before getting hurt and I am lucky to be able to ride him.
5 yo Tb/Han gelding that I raised from a yearling who is competing in the 1st yrs and green conf with my trainer this year.
2 y.o. welsh pony prospect (can’t stay away from the ponies!)
7 y.o QH who trail rides.
3 yo minature donkey. Sh rules the roost.
I am 33 and marred to someone who truly understands my addiction! I work for a major publishing company to pay to support this addiction. I keep all but my 5 yo at my own place.
Hi! I’ve been mostly lurking and reading, but I’ve decided to join in the fun! Well, My name is Danna and I’m 15 from Maryland. I started riding after a trip to a riding stable with the girl scouts. I’ve Been riding for 6 or 7 years now. I own a georgous 16.3hand Chestnut TB Gelding named All That Jazz aka Jazz or Spazz. We do the jumpers so far up to 4’ and we might try eventing. I also show my moms horse Maxx in the hunters sometimes. He is a 17.3hand Bay TB Gelding. We call him Chocolate Thunder.
I also have 4 dogs ( 1 German Shepard, 1 Mastiff, 1 Shi Tzu, and 1 Mutt) and a farm cat. I home school and plan on graduating a year early and looking for a working student position with a jumper trainer.
Aside from horses I like to listen to Heavy metal and punk music, Korn and Rammstein being my favorites. I also like biology and learning about different spiritual and cultural beliefs. I also work for my Dad as his personal secretary. I do all the computer work so he doesn’t screw the computer up. It pays nicely. Anyway thats me! :0)
I’m Rebecca Payson, but everyone calls me Becca (or a variation My littlest brother calls me Becula- ever since he was 2, and heard that Ricola add). I was born in connecticut, and lived there for my first 3 years, having had a pony since the day I was born (Tag Along, I still have her I started riding at about 2 (Which my mother now insists she must have been crazy for). When I was 3, I went to my First show, Children Services, and did the leadline. I still have my cherished Blue Ribbon And that number.
From there, its history. We moved to NH, and our current home, built that up, adding 400 acres, and a gorgous barn. The indoor is yet to come But eventually! My mom has always trained me, when i was about 5, we did a stint in the Pony Club thing, and i insisted Dressage was my fave. thing in the world ( When you have a pony who moves like tag, and win every time, who wouldn’t?) But then I learned to jump, and never went back to dressage. We stopped pony Club a few years ago, not having enough time to do that and show, and when mom stopped being our DC, the fun left, and it became too strict- no fun. So we devoted out time to showing entirely.
Somehwere in there, another sister and 2 brothers were born, bringing us to my current family of 7.
As for me, I am slightly egotistical, find myself rather invinceable, and don’t take myself very seriously, except for my goals. To someday become a vet, lawyer, astronaut, president, marine biologist, go to Yale, Harvard, Dartmouth, or oxford, graduate valedictorian of my class, finish top 10 at Maclay finals, train a young horse to be my ammy jumper eventually, and give my kids everything my parents have given me.
I had several horses and ponies in between, even a wonderful rescue case Sojourner who died due to the preious malnutrition, but she taught me so much, and then we got Taffy. I’ll never ever find a horse as wonderful as him- ever again. He knows everything, and is awesome at everything.
I did the short stirrup thing, ponies until I finally, and sadly outgrew them, and then the Childrens. Now doing Jr Hunters, and jr Jumpers, starting to get serious about the Medals, and had a rude awakening that I now only have 2 Jr. Years left. And we reach today
I know I have rambled, i have a special talent for that. Its been a pleasure getting to know more about all of you.
This was a good idea to do!
Well, now that I found like I’ve found a bunch of new friends, I’ll get into the “who am I” game…
I’m - uh - “old” - over half a century! Who was it who thought that a quarter century was a mind-blower?? And overweight - by today’s “standards”, would always have been. Thank heaven, size 10-12 was considered slim - and now is almost as unobtainable as 4 or 6. Oh well.
I was very fortunate to have lived within bike distance from the OLD St. Lawrence stables - and spent many happy hours there, building a solid foundation on wonderful school horses with supportive, knowledgeable, disciplined instructors. AND - BEST FUN - just “re-met” one of them last year at a show in SYR - after 41 years!!!
After parents’ divorce and relocation to LI, I was lucky to ride a couple times a month - at a couple different hack barns. Lessons from one woman who was a far better marketer than instructor (found out later that she’d started riding a few years before - amazing what $$ can buy). Unbroke horses, more ego than knowledge, took me years to believe that Littauer had a brain, since she claimed to be his finest product - sustained lasting damage to my confidence. But learned how truly fortunate I had been to learn from and on such superb professionals as John Stoecker and Miss Martin and Pogo and Buddy and Suki and…
Two supportive coaches later and a few months in Ireland (Burton Hall) - led to several years of riding, training & teaching in several states (NY, SC, OR).
Added western (Aps) to my repertoire; then some saddle seat. My last Ap was top ten in the nation in trail and saddle seat pleasure (both Open and A/O).
Now, I video horse shows in the NE - as well as hold down an office job to pay major bills and provide benefits…
What a NEAT idea for us all to meet like this!
Hi, I haven’t posted much but here goes,
I am 15 and live in NY state.
Horse-Very tall black TB gelding, 4yrs old, extreemly talented, I LOVE HIM!
Cats-3, 2blacks, 1grey tiger
I started riding when i was 6, and have just bought a horse. It just goes to show you that hard work and dedication really does pay off. now i have the horse of my dreams, and i couldn’t be happier!
Hey HunterH, I live in Webster too, even if my profile says Rochester. I figured no one would have the slightest idea where Webster was. I was going to send you an e-mail, but I see you don’t have one posted, probably a good idea! If you want, send me one. I’m betting that you ride at either Huntington or Patterson’s, am I right?
[This message has been edited by LOUISE (edited 01-17-2000).]
[This message has been edited by LOUISE (edited 01-17-2000).]
Hey,
My name is alex. I JUST turned 15(yeay permit!! 
watch the roads heehee! I live in northern VA. I have a 3 yr ( gonna be a junior horse) Wallstreet Kid mare named Banks hence my screenname. I am looking for an Aussi pup( so if anyone knows a breeder!!!) i have two shiz-tzus Simba and Frecks, I just sold my pony hunter, thinking of being a Lawyer and thats it!!
I think this topic was a GREAT idea
I’ve also been lurking for months and really enjoy this board. It’s so nice that others feel the same way that I do about so many issues. I feel that I know PORTIA, JANE, SNOWBIRD, JUMPHIGH, and many others from reading their posts. I’m 42, own my own engineering consulting firm (to pay my horse bills and also I don’t have to offer any excuses to leave for horse shows). I have a coming 5 yr old Selle Francias mare, a “professional” TB broodmare, and a 20 year old retiree. I’m also married to an understanding husband that doesn’t get upset that the barn is cleaner than the house, that he eats after the horses, and doesn’t notice when I wash my saddle pads with his underwear!!! My nine year old son doesn’t ride but he does help around the barn. And of course I have 2 corgis and 1 Jack Russell. AND I am an ex AHSA steward and the stories I have…
Since this post re-surfaced lately I thought that I would finally lose my anonymity…
I am 27, riding hunter/ jumpers since I was 6, very happily married, currently live in Tampa, 4+ months pregnant. I learned how to ride in NJ, moved several times as kid (various midwestern states), finished my junior years in NJ. Got my first job out of college with Practical Horseman, met my husband and he convinced me to relocate to the south. It’s ok, but I am really a Northern girl at heart. I currently have a jumper “Cashmere” that is regretfully for sale due to the baby on the way. I have my retired Junior Hunter (22 years old) who is now a #1 trail horse. 2 dogs (A Jack Russell and a Scottie), 2 cats and a Guinea Pig.
WOW! This is great! I am such a people person and nosy too!
I am 16 years old, and have been riding for 3 1/2 years now. I have a 7 yr. chestnut Hann/TB mare, named Salsa. I have owned her for a year. I am aiming for anything Hunter with her! I don’t care as long as we have fun and she is not pushed too hard, she is my giant pet after all!
I am a junior at a private school (ugh!) in North Carolina. I am planning on going to college somewhere around this area and doing a double major in Psychology and Equine Studies! Maybe going to Vet school later!
Thats about it for now!
Today is my LAST day working at the University of Virginia in beautiful Charlottesville. I’m taking some time off to travel then who knows.
I’m 25 and have always been a horse nut. I have dabbled in many different areas from equitation to 3day. I play polo with my boyfriend now, though I’m missing those jumps terribly! I’ve mucked, taught lessons, groomed, managed a small facility and generally just done anything necessary to keep me around these wonderful creatures.
I no longer have my own horse, but would love to buy a foxhunter next.
BTW, for those single gals on the board, there are a lot of sexy men playing polo.
MAC – I, too, have a friend who is in a wheelchair, as a result of a car accident. She loves her horses and can’t imagine giving them up, rides western pleasure and trail rides all over – along with her husband and her child, who she had a few years after the accident. She’s also a very good lawyer. I admire her, and I admire you and the many others who face such difficulties and don’t let it destroy their love of life. You just go right on enjoying your horses.
Oh, what the heck I’m 26, single, live in Tempe AZ and am the Chronicle’s West Coast correspondent/webmaster. I previously lived in Middleburg VA (hi Betsy!), and Ithaca NY before that (Cornell Univ. class of '95, degree in communication/animal science), and I grew up in the Chicago suburbs.
I’ve been riding forever, did Pony Club and have been eventing since about age 8, up through preliminary. I have two horses… my old event horse, Shamrock (Rocky), 23, TB/App who I’ve had since he was 10. He went to NY and VA with me, and is now here in AZ and semi-retired. I just got a new “project” in September… 8-y-o off-the-track TB named Chief who I hope to event later this year. Our goal is to do a 3-day before I’m 30 Also have a cat named Gus who’s very old and grouchy.
Very into music and the internet (see http://www.geocities.com/~eharty). Enjoying spending some time at home after traveling to cover more than 15 competitions for the Chronicle last year, and gearing up to spend a whole lotta time at Indio!
[This message has been edited by Erin (edited 01-14-2000).]
Playing catchup with the rest of the posts here…
<BLOCKQUOTE class=“ip-ubbcode-quote”><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by TBLover:
At 14, moved on to a nice barn, the Thomas School of Horsemanship, and actually learned how to ride a little. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Oh wow - The Thomas School! I rode there in, umm, 1975-6 or so (wow, do I feel old!). Those were great horses - Tokatam, a huge Percheron (I think) cross, Triscuit (who helped me do a perfect 1-and-a-half somersalt over her head one day), and the aptly named Vertigo…
Wow. Hadn’t thought of that in ages.
[This message has been edited by paw (edited 02-14-2000).]
[This message has been edited by paw (edited 02-14-2000).]
