Babs and Guinness
It was when I reached my 40th birthday that it finally hit me. Time was forever closing in and it was then that I took the "now or never" approach! I wanted to fulfill that childhood dream and no matter how frightened I was to take this step, I was going to take it! My husband, the love of my life, supported my venture whole-heartedly! Now, after 4 ½ years, we own 5 horses, a donkey, 4 dogs and 3 cats. My two sons are grown and no longer live at home with one having joined the Navy in Victoria, BC. and the other in college in Toronto, On. We are the proud guardians of: Calida, a 4yr old Belgian pony cross mare. Tess, a 3 yr old Percheron paint cross mare. Abby, a 19-month-old registered Appendix Quarter horse filly. Eddie, a newly acquired 8 yr old registered Morgan gelding. Coco, a 5 yr old donkey. And my soul mate and very first riding horse, Guinness, a 13 yr old Morgan gelding. I consider myself very much a novice rider and owner. There is so much to learn and experience with horses that I sometimes find it overwhelming. However, it is through "horsy" friends and contacts that we are forever educating ourselves. Since Sept.04, we have relocated to southwestern Manitoba and have fulfilled yet another dream of owning our own ranch. We have 160 acres of mainly pasture and hay land and we just love it. No more moves for us! My husband has just started riding but totally supports my passion as it starts to engulf him. He is my stable boy and has more assurance around horses than I do. He is forever pushing me forward in my quest and I love him for that. What does the future hold? I picture myself becoming more confident around and on horses by experiencing all I can. I want to expand my circle of friends, both near and far, and include them in my passion for riding. That is why becoming an Honorary Member of H.O.N.s is just so wonderful. I want to learn all I can and perhaps, just perhaps, even add to my extended family down the rode. Horses are so beautiful… and yet…they are so addictive! |
As a little girl, I dreamt of having my own horse but it was a dream
that was put on the back burner for quite some time. I joined the military
in my late teens and training/travel made it impossible to even think
about horse-ownership. After my short career as an MP, I met my husband
and soon we flew out to Germany for a six-year posting. Horses? No, it
wasn’t the right time then. Coming back to Canada with two young boys
and living on a remote site on the northern tip of Vancouver Island proved
to be the wrong time as well….as did the next few years with many moves
back and forth across the country.