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May 2001
In May I said good-bye to Pennsylvania and we returned to Arizona. Virginia laughed about this, saying we are doing
it backwards -we should be going there in the fall!
October 2001
Well, now it's October
and I have been back in Pennsylvania for about a month. I'm getting to be an old hand at travelling across the country! This
time I am living at Coventry Equestrian Center. Since I know Kristin from Greenmoor, settling into Coventry was much easier and much to my surprise, I discovered some of
my Greenmoor friends are here, too.
Some of my friends from Greenmoor,
Tracey and her horse, Flash, are here. They were the first ones to show us the trails there, and it was good to see Flash
when I arrived. Virginia led me into the stable, and I was surprised to see Pacino, Flash, Arch Angel, Somerset - all who
I knew last winter! I was stabled next to Arch at Greenmoor, and when I walked into the barn, he was surprised to see me and
gave me a hearty greeting! What a wonderful welcome!
Kristin has
given Virginia permission to post a couple of pictures of the Coventry Equestrian Centre on our webpage.
Just look at those hills! Oh, my goodness!
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| First day back ... it felt so good to run! |
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| Me (Taffy), and my friend, Babe, a Quarter Horse |
I am the smaller horse
...Virginia says she learned something this day - stand downhill from your horse to take a picture if you don't want it to
look like a mini!
There are are 8 pastures for turn-out, many trails to ride on, and an outdoor arena as well as the
indoor arena where we can work on our dressage skills or ride in inclement weather. Kristin is planning a number of outings
for her boarders and their horses to enjoy, one being a "Ride for Rescue" which is a fund-raising ride to aid a no-kill animal
shelter, and she hopes to arrange monthly dressage clinics.
At least once during the weekend we go out on a trail ride.
Not too long ago some more trails were cleared so we have even more trails to ride along!
In this composite picture, we are participating in the Ride for Rescue which raised
$3,000 for the animal shelter. One of the riders made the comment that God obviously loves his animals because he gave us
a beautiful day for the ride! Virginia took the first picture by turning around and snapping this shot. The other picture
was taken of us, with our camera, by one of the walkers.
We spent the summer and early fall working on our basic dressage
skills, so that in the spring we can come out riding Level One. Then, we had a little accident and Virginia broke a couple
of bones in her foot, so we have both had about six weeks off. She is riding again now, and we have started to work on getting
our condtioning back. We have also been on a trail ride and it was so good to get out on the trails again!
January 2002
Well,
it looks like my little "talk" worked. Virginia tells me I am returning to Arizona! Wow! - no more white slippery stuff, no
more cold blustery winds, no more slick, slippery slopes when the snow has melted... Oh, no! That means another long trailer
ride!
(Virginia's note: Taffy is going back to her former owner and I
will miss her very much, but I know she is valued and loved by them as much as I value and love her. She is a wonderful little
horse and has given me countless hours of enjoyment and companionship.)
Virginia told me that after I left in January, 2002 to return to Arizona, she was invited to come back out to Coventry
to ride, and since Babe's owner didn't have much time, she rode her a couple of times a week, and once a week they had a lesson.
Now Babe's owner has found the time to come out once a week to ride, so Babe is happy about that.
August 2002
(Another note from Virginia: My husband and I have returned to Arizona and Taffy's owner has asked that I keep
riding her to keep her exercised and happy. Obviously that is a request which I accepted with great enthusiasm since Taffy
still regards me as hers! In March of 2003, my husband and I returned to Canada.)
June 2006
It was with sadness that Virginia learned about the death of another
of our equine friends, 24 year old Flasher. He woke up with colic for the second time this year and when our local vet could
not help him, he was trailered to the Equine Specialty Hospital for further examination. Further diagnosis showed the probability
of tumors around his intestines, so after much hard deliberation Tracey decided not to put him through any more pain and had
Flasher euthanized. It was a hard decision for her, but a courageous one - she had owned Flasher nearly all of his 24 years.
I include this note here, because Tracey welcomed me when I arrived
at Greenmoor Commons the first time we moved to Pennsylvania, and she and Flasher were the first to show us the trails in
the area. When we moved back to Pennsylvania the second time, we were both at Kristin's Coventry Equestrian Center. Flasher and I took Tracy and Virginia on many an enjoyable trail ride together. Flasher will be missed by everyone
who knew him.
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