'Safe-Lee Ranch'...

Spirit was a vision, just a childhood dream....I dreamt of owning my own pony from such a young age. A gelding, 14.2hh chestnut complete with white stripe and four white socks!
I called him 'Spirit'...I would know him straight away should we ever meet! Then we did...a friend was buying a pony from Wales and I tagged along I was 26yrs old and given up the dream years ago. I hadnt ridden since I lost my confidence coming off in a show and landing on a jump wing. It was too late now, my dream had passed. My friend was studying ponies, when I caught the first glimpse of 'Spirit'! A flash of orange in the trees a tiny dot just a yearling. It was love at first sight and although being a filly at first was disappointing that soon passed the day she arrived on an eight wheeler lorry!I begged and borrowed, to pay £250 for her, I would have sacrificed anything, she was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen! My wish come true. I had to wait 2yrs before I could 'start' her but I didnt mind, it was worth the wait..I started her as a 3yr old, she was so bolshy, so full of fight nothing fazed her, and swift with those back legs! She could kick a fly off the wall..she just threw everything she could at me. She was something from the wild west not Abergavenny! She could bronc, buck and race round the school and never tire. It was a long battle but I persevered and won her over, once I gained her trust. Only took 2years!
I used to watch her in the field for hours I was mesmerised. Learning all about her natural instincts and behaviour was facinating, she was always the boss, so dominant for her size! We tried some show jumping when my friend Fi roped me in, I hate jumping so I entered a dressage test to get out of it and we came 4th..I was over whelmed so we went on to do some more. Spirit was so calm and composed at the shows when everyone elses horse was screaming!
She unloaded the trailer and just started grazing!
She was placed most times when we went out. She taught my son and some of his friends to ride and was so gentle with them. I never expected to do much with her other than just hack and have fun.  Competing was never a thought! but she loves it and always tries her best and thats usually enough to get us a rosette, more than I could ever expect.

 We went on to do some endurance too! I moved around alot, all over the country and she always came too. Attempting to do BHS exams to feed my crave for more equestrian knowledge...lead us to The Forest of Dean as trek leaders for a while..We eventually landed in Scotland when the fun really started. Amazing long stretches of beaches and quiet woodlands to ride through it was heaven. We competed at Glamis castle which was amazing so many talented riders and horses hence to say we was not placed. But had an amazing experience.. Then one day I was turning her out I noticed a swollen near hind, there was no lameness, heat, or site of injury so I tried some leg ice and it didnt help. I called the vet who diagnosed a tendon strain and advised box rest and bandages. She never complained just munched her hay for 8 weeks! she does love her food. We moved back to Birmingham and had a vet on standby she had fractured her leg somehow? Thats what the x-ray revealed it wasnt bad but needed lots of time to heal, at least another 6months off said the vet. I gave her 18months holiday out to grass and she bounced back sound. This was 2004. Weve just been happy hacking ever since. Then just after last christmas she fell through some ice in the shallow pond, in our field once again we feared the worse. She had a hole in her near fore which was deep. The pond water and temperature caused her to have a nasty infection in her skin and she reacted violently to herself biting holes in her chest and flanks. She also pulled a tendon pulling herself free from the ice. 4 months of box rest followed but once again she amazed me and is now fighting fit! We are considering some dressage this summer.
Spirit has been there beside me through thick and thin, for the passed 16 years, a saviour at times and my most loyal best friend. She has taught me so much, about her world, who she is and about the person I want to be . I couldnt do any of this without her, I owe everything to Spirit!
She will never cease to amaze me and will never let me down I cannot imagine life without her!