Page 91 - Libro_MariaA_26agosto

Experiences of Fellow Riders to Brighten Your Day Experiences of Fellow Riders to Brighten Your Day

blem for me. He was a very good horse for the purpose we had bought
him, and he had a heart of gold. I did my first shows ever with him, and I
remember having very good results in competitions with him. The main
recommendation I have for riders who are planning to buy a horse for the
first time is to get a good advice from both a professional and a veterina-
rian. It is really important to know from the beginning your goals with
your new horse, so you know exactly what kind of horses you have to look
for. Finally, always look to trust the person who is selling you the horse.
Buying a horse is more a trustworthy business than anything else.”

Alejandra García

Alejandra is an amateur dres-
sage rider from Cali, who has a
great passion for horses. She has
been a rider for more than thirty
years, and loves learning about
horses every day.

“My first horse was ca-
lled Son Oriental. He was
an English Thoroughbred
chestnut gelding who used
to be a race horse before a
jumper. Owning a horse
for the first time is a uni-
que experience. You should
always look for an experien-
ced horse, a schoolmaster; or your first experience may end up being a night-
mare. Son Oriental was a schoolmaster. When my parents bought him, he was
thirteen years old, and he was jumping in the 1m20 classes. He was a safe,
sweet, reliable horse who never refused to jump. Son Oriental was also a great
teacher. We jumped from the 0.80m classes to the 1.20 classes. Your first horse is
very hard to forget because he is the one who is in charge to break our story in
two pieces. That’s where you fall in love with this crazy lifestyle or not. There’s
no middle point. When you fall in love with this lifestyle because of that horse,
you do it forever. Some riders fall more in love with the sport than with the
animal. That was not my case. Although I started jumping and then changed
to dressage, my main love has always been for the horse. It’s been many years
and many horses since I owned Son. They all have been special, but in the life
of every horse lover, there is always just one horse that makes a hoof print in

105