Day 24 - Your Best Riding Friend

I have quite a few riding friends - great people to be around and I love them all. But my very best riding friend is my sister Natalie.

PONY PALS!

I am six years older than Natalie. She began riding when I got my first pony Wombat. I taught her how to ride (YOU OWE ME KIDDO). She leased a pony called Thowra for a few years - we didn't have a saddle for him and he was the shortest pony so she always had to get all the gates when we went riding with friends. :)

When she got her first pony Anira she was ecstatic. Only about 18 months after she got Anira the pony was diagnosed with arthritis in her hocks. Instead of continuing to jump and do sporting with Anira the only things the pony really ever enjoyed under saddle, she was a fire cracker!) she retired her but continued to look after her properly. She had her for around 5 years, probably only riding her 20 times. As a teenager that was a hard thing to do, not just get rid of the pony and buy a new one, but being a true horsewoman she did it.

Not too long after she got Gracie and we started this blog.

Now, we like nothing better than to go out riding together. I am so lucky to have a sister to ride with!

Anira

Sweetie

Natalie on the chestnut - she is a friend's pony.

Nat on Wombat - I used to drive her out into the paddock to find him then she would ride him back. (Sans helmet I see - tsk!)

On Precious the aussie riding pony again,

Nat and Thowra. He was adorable!

Pretty pony bums.