This is Ollie, my most special mate - black 12 year old Gisborne stationbred gelding (with Percheron ancestry I am guessing - solid, but grows little feather??) I have owned him since he was 5 years old. I had two friends tell me he was a definite "Debbie" horse and I should buy him (though I already had another horse at the time). It was a meant to be story, and in fact, I had circled the ad for him some 12 months earlier but never went to look at him. Another friend bought him to hunt when her horse was lame, but found him far too slow, and didnt/couldnt jump.
I felt safe the minute I sat on him, and though he didnt know much past hacking round the farm, bought him and have never looked back. He is very sensible, very not forward going (I joke that halt is his best pace), and suits me down to the ground.
Over the years we have had lots of fun together, trekking, adult riding club, NITE teams event, dressage, South Pacific Games, ribbon days, and even a little jumping!
Over the past couple of years, Ollie has had a cruisy time, as I have changed careers to become a teacher. There are just not enough hours in the day! I have brought him back into work many times, but still there are weeks when I cant manage a ride. My mission this summer is to get back in the saddle, and at the very least, get out on some hills and enjoy myself. Now it is written, I will have to do eeet, won't I!
I am going to have to go hunting for more pics of my boy - but this one to start with is of him with his mate Spots out at an ODE (my good friend Amelia borrowed him to ride).
