--- In AERCMembersForum@yahoogroups.com, Char Jewell <ban_zus@...> wrote:
> Where you do live?
---
Thanks for the reminder, I don't think I introduced myself to this group. I
recently joined a bunch of CTR/Endurance groups.

Currently, I live in the Indianapolis area. I have only been here for 2 years.
Befor that I was in Northern Maine for 3 1/2 years and before that North
Carolina for 11 years. I went to college in Pennslyvania and grew up in
Connecticut. :-)

I grew up riding and showing horses in Saddleseat Equitation. I rode a morgan
and a saddlebred. My mom and my sister showed appaloosas. Believe it or not, I
trail rode my morgan all over the place in a cut-back saddle and double-bridle
and had the BEST time. I still can't believe I did it. One of our favorite
things to do was ride down to Dairy Queen!

I went for about 10 years without owning a horse - too poor through college and
after graduation, but I kept riding - whoever who let me ride their horse for
free! I was very interested in dressage and started taking lessons.

I bought Doc to be my dressage horse, but my horse was really not that into it.
I also had some problems with him spooking and running away from me so I realy
got into Parelli Natural Horsemanship and loved it. I did a little trail riding
as well. But after I moved to Northern Maine where there are very few shows and
only 2 dressage instructors in the whole county that I knew of, and more trails
than I could ever ride, I decided to move to trail riding. Doc was much more
enthusiastic about trail riding than he ever was in the dressage arena. So I
thought maybe we should try distance riding. But we moved from Maine before I
could really get started. I went and watched a CTR in New Bruswick while I was
there and it looked like fun!

So now I am finally settled in Indiana and looking forward to learning more
about the sport! I just joined the AERC and have contacted one of the local
mentors and have ridden with her twice. So far, I think my horse is really going
to like it!

Here are a few pictures of us riding on the trail...
http://picasaweb.google.com/lidapink/TrailRiding

and some more general photos, including a couple dressage pictures...
http://picasaweb.google.com/lidapink/WhitehallSDoctorJoe

I also have a few pictures on Facebook. If you are on there, let me know and
I'll add you as a friend.

Lida