I have loved horses for as long as I can remember. There was a riding stable right around the corner from where I lived when I was a kid. Even when I was very young I would wander down there in the morning at the weekends and spend the whole day mucking out horses and generally being a stable dog’s body.
It was great and I have such lovely memories of that time. In exchange for working more or less full-time at the weekends, I would be allowed a free riding lesson. Recently when I was back home I went along to the stables and incredibly the lady who taught me as a child was still working there.
Over the years I have ridden, owned and borrowed horses, depending on my circumstances at the time. But one way or another, horses have been and always will be part of my life.
Here’s a picture of me and Hewie on a glorious summer’s day.
And this is me when I was, I think, about 10 years old, proudly wearing my clear round rosette.
You can probably tell from the photo that this was taken before digital cameras were a thing. Which makes me sound ancient!
I hope you find some interesting info in Open Canter. My plan is to share what information I have gathered over the years and to continue sharing what I learn going forward. There never seems to be a ceiling to what you can learn about horses and ponies.
