About

This blog was started as a way to record my adventures with my first horse. Who knows what it will evolve into, but it's sure to be an interesting journey...

 The "Mane" Players:


Julie

I started riding at a trail ride place at a young age, and eventually began my "formal equestrian education" at a H/J lesson barn in the middle of the city. I rode there for roughly 5-6 years before taking a working student position with my current coach - unequivocally one of the top H/J coaches in the area - in high school. It quickly became clear that I had outgrown the lesson barn, and I began my "formal equestrian education", take II. The majority of my saddle time was spent on green beans, and I grew a whole new appreciation for horseback riding.

With university came heftier expenses, and there was a several year period where I did not do much riding at all. I bought Mexi as a yearling in 2009 and when I backed her as a three year old in 2011, I hadn't ridden consistently in about 5 years.  Since then, life has gotten in the way, and we are on track to "restart" as a six year old (*gasp!*) with me having even more time out of the saddle. As you might imagine, this will probably be an interesting combination, and getting my sea legs back may prove to be a struggle. Nevertheless, I very much look forward to get back in the swing of things with Mex.

Summer 2011, three years old

Mexi

Little Mex is a 2008 model Canadian Warmblood mare bred by my mentor and coach. Her grandparents were hand selected from Europe by my coach back when he was in the business of importing and exporting.  She is out of Hanna (Mary x Almez) and by One Night Stand (Vanity Fair (Buntspecht) x Fantast). More on her breeding here.
 

She is absolutely perfect.  She's extremely intelligent, very brave and curious, and has such a big personality.  Of course all those things mean she can be a little "spicy" (sassy?) sometimes, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.  She is my first horse, and I couldn't have asked for a better match.  As my non-horsey boyfriend said perfectly, I wouldn't have liked her near as much if she didn't have such a big personality.

I hope for her to be my partner in crime in the jumper ring... only time will tell!

Honourable Mentions:

You will likely read me reference my boyfriend on a fairly regular basis. He's not a horse person, but he has been incredibly supportive and willing to learn about my passion. He's come to terms with the fact that he's stuck with a horse crazy lady, and he's accepted this position quite well. He's pretty great, really.

 

I also have some pretty weird cats that will undoubtedly be featured on occasion. Two of them are wild cats from Turks & Caicos (Chuck Stanfield and Mr. Pants), and the third is basically a crochety old lady who can't stand the other two idiots and would rather be an only cat (Noora). Woe is her (they really are idiots).

 

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