Hello From Idaho!!

IdahoRider · Hello From Idaho!!

Hello everyone, I just joined this morning and wanted to say hello from Idaho's Treasure Valley.

My name is Sheilah and I am 46 years old. I share my life with a fantastic 13 year old Arab gelding. I was a typical horse crazy kid, horseless until my Mom married a nice man with a couple of horses when I was 13 years old. Although they divorced, I managed to keep horses in my life.

I have lived in Idaho for 9 years now. Before that I was a life-long Californian (I still think of myself as a Californian, to be honest). I met Pat Parelli when he was giving pick up lessons in Lodi in the early-mid 80's. Imagine my surprise when I realized that he had become a "Big Name" when I returned to horses in my mid-30's after a 10 year break.

I have had the usual fear issues that us older re-riders face. I also had a spinal cord injury in 1995 that has heavily impacted my riding. I walk well, but I don't have any feeling from the waist down. Hard to be an effective rider when I can't feel my butt! I owned a wonderful, older Appaloosa that kept me safe for a long time. He handled the transition to Idaho nicely, but I had to euthanize him in 2004 after a freak pasture accident.

I have had my current gelding since 2005. I had purchased an Arab mare about 7 months after I lost my gelding. She was way more horse than I wanted, so when a local endurance rider/trainer offered me a trade I took it. That is how I ended up with my guy.

In 2006 I got hooked up with a local PNH lady and took lessons with her for over a year. In December of 2007 I took a huge step and started dressage lessons. Dressage is something that has always fascinated me, but I figured that it would always be something to watch from afar and not be involved with myself. I am never going to be a very solid rider, but there have been some improvements! My gelding has made a convert of my instructor and she is now riding several Arabs in dressage!

I board my guy about 10 minutes from my home. I am married with two sons, a 20 year old still living at home and a 10 year old in 5th grade (he still lives at home, too). I have three German Shepherds, a Pug, three cats and a parrot. I use to work at the regional humane society, where I ran the foster program. But I lost my job in 2007. I went back to school (GO BSU!) in 2008 and am working towards an elementary school teaching credential. At the rate that I am going, I might be done just before I reach retirement age!

Every time I think I have recognized all the benefits of having a horse in my life, I discover another one. It has certainly been a journey of growth for me. I am not the most committed rider, meaning that I will often come up with reasons NOT to ride. But I swear that spending an hour reading quietly in my horse's stall while he eats or snoozes has been the most liberating, centering activity I have ever engaged in.

I am so happy to have found this forum! I am looking forward to meeting you all , and learning from you.
Sheilah

becky b

Welcome Sheilah! We are so glad to have you here. I can't wait to hear more about you, your introduction was very interesting to read. Glad you are back in horses and enjoying them. I am not the most committed rider either, but I do manage to spend a little time with them daily. Horses are definitely in my blood. I am like many others here, I had horses as a kid then went a few years without them, and got back in to them in my 30's. I have 6 of them now. Technically 3 are mine and 3 are my daughters. She moved 3 hours away, and since I take care of them, pay for everything for them and I am the only one they see, I claim them all! I look forward to hearing more about you and oh yes one more thing, we love pictures here!!! Feel free to share pictures of all your babies!

IdahoRider

Hi! And thank you for the welcome! Is there a separate section for photos, or do I just add some to this thread?

I am off to the barn for my lesson. I will figure out the picture thing when I get back. I love to share pictures of my guy.

I was "out of horses" for about 10 years, from my mid-20's through my mid-30's. I have been back for 10 years now and still think it is the best thing I have ever done for myself.

My youngest son is a big time animal lover, but he has little interest in horses or riding. I am the only one in my family.
Sheilah

Gismo

CoolsLadyInRed

Nice to have you here! What a nice introduction. Would love to see pictures of you and your "family".
I am also the only horse lover in my household. My other horse loving child went and got married. LOL I too spend more downtime with my horse than on her back. But I keep working on that.

Hope you enjoy your time here! My new donkey is arriving so must go. Take care! Beth

IdahoRider

Well, it looks like I am going to have to take more than just a minute to figure out how to post pictures. I know how to do Photobucket, but I am worried that it might not size correctly and I'll end up posting huge pictures.

I'm working on the thumbnail file attach option. pesky computers!
Sheilah

PasoBaby_CarolU

There is a choice in photobucket that gets them small, but not too small. Someone who uses it will have to tell you what it is. I like them around 600 pixels square. Once you have them there, just use the Img button above the composition window, click it once, then paste in the URL for the picture, then click it again. I know from experience that this forum doesn't like symbols...so no & or * signs in the name. And there can be no spaces on either side of the URL.

You can post them here, or in the Horse General Chat (more people read that forum) or the Come Ride with Me forum. We're pretty laid back around here.

I look forward to seeing your ponies.

IdahoRider · Pictures Are Up!

I was able to figure out how to post pictures from Photobucket. They are up in two separate posts in the "Come Ride With Us" section!

I hope I was able to get the size right. Come take a look at two of my dogs and my guy Noodle.
Sheilah

NCMtnGirl

4theloveofjake

Welcome and thanks for sharing your story !

Hello From Idaho!!

Pictures Are Up!