continued.......page 3

I think that probably one of the best times I have had with a horse was my first show. Now for any 'horsey' child, this is the event of their life, the bar mitzvah of their horse career. In my first show I was entered in the 'in hand coloured class'; this means that no riding is required. "Ah", you say, "less room for error", but this is not the case for me. My main struggle was to get the ever-reluctant Breezy to trot, a simple task for anyone except me. I seem to recall various adult friends saying that she was 'looking after me'. Well, I wish that she could have done it a little faster(!) - but I was still elated to receive a beautiful purple rosette for coming sixth out of six.

I think that for many people, including my mother, horses are like children. If you buy them young you can watch them grow up and progress just like children - except that you do not have to go through labour and the associated pain. My mother treats Breezy better than she does us! The pictures of her children at various stages of our development have been removed in favour of - Breezy at a show, Breezy on a sponsored ride, Breezy in the field. The horse's every need is met within seconds and if she has a slight injury or ailment, however minor, everything is done to make sure that she receives the best treatment possible. Several times my birthday present has been for the horse - even now I can hear "look, there's the colour rug you want for your birthday". And I am waiting for the party to celebrate Breezy's eighth birthday. I am sure she will be allowed champagne and chocolate cake, whilst my fifteenth birthday will be spent munching carrots.

From writing this piece I have deduced that you have to be absolutely mad to be associated with horses. For example, in all we have four saddles and, in all, their value could buy a holiday in the South of France. I have also come to realise that in the past four years my mother has bought more clothes for her beloved equine companion than for herself. In all, I deem that lunacy is the main condition of owning a horse, and as for the people who dedicate their lives to them, they are incurable cases who deserve all our sympathy

Louise with 'Pippin' on a riding holiday in 1995

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