Horse Riding

Flo is the family horse, though only my daughter and I actually ride here. She's an Irish Draft cross Thoroughbred chestnut mare, that photo to the right is me posing on her in the livery yard where she's use to be stabled. She measures 15 2 hands tall, that's 5 feet 2 inches, and must be around about 500 kilograms (I have never actually weighed her). She has a pleasant disposition, but can get nervous and uptight depending on how she feels at the time, and as a result she is not really a novice ride.

My daughter and I, have owned and been riding Flo for seven+ years now and she still catches us out on a regular basis. Flo will jump almost anything, and certainly a 4 foot 6 inch fence is taken in her stride. She has no problem jumping out of a schooling manage, or her paddock should the fancy take her. My daughter has taken Flo on jumping courses, but I'm just not brave enough to do more than the occasional more modest 3 foot jump or two. I once tried a jumping course set up in an arena, and reached the eighth jump out of twelve before we parted company in a 'not too elegant' fashion.

I am sometimes asked what is the monetary cost of keeping a horse is, and like most owners can only reply that I wouldn't like to try to work it out. I do know that time wise, during winter when she is stabled at night, the work takes around 1.5 hours a day, Monday to Friday, and about 4 hours Saturday and Sunday mornings, with no time off for good behaviour (some people even manage 2+ horses... true dedication).

We used to keep Flo in a livery yard in Thatcham, which was about three miles from where we live Newbury, Berkshire, but now she is at livery in Cardif, Wales (where my daughter is attending University). This is rather convenient as it means I have a lot more leisure time to fill with other hobies and occupations, and though I miss the riding I still have the expense to enjoy. There are a number of photos of Flo that you can view in the photo album section of this website.