So, things are going well this week! We went to a property inspection- not that we can afford it right now just quietly- we just wanted to check out what was in our price range and get some motivation.
Well, it worked. We went straight home and re-jigged the finances and figured out a debt plan to get ourselves in a position where we can start to save, and things are looking better than we thought.
Later that day I got a phone call from the riding school with some extra shifts, so now I'm officially working 6 days a week - eep! Jay's full time work is going well, he's due for a pay rise, and next week when we get our tax return we should be just about debt free - yahoo!

I can't wait to start looking for our own acreage so we can take our horse rescue to the next level, and get some competing done. I've joined up with EFA and started going to comps regularly with Roger so he gets nice and experienced before he goes to his new home in a couple of months, and then we can rescue another ex racehorse and start all over again.
I'm booked in for another riding lesson this coming Thurday which I'm really looking forward to, trying to keep improving my riding as much as I can, I'm hoping that by the time we get onto our acreage (hoping this time next year, give or take) I will be a much more established rider, and be experienced in the comp circuit, and used to it all etc...

SO - my goals for the next 12 months are...
-Improve my riding considerably
-Save a house deposit with Jay
-Start looking for a property Aug 2012
-Compete regularly, like every other week
-Do a HEAP of reading and learn as much as possible

So there it is! I have a show jumping comp on the 6th August on Roger, if he goes on the float! We have a friend coming to work on him who is sensational with groundwork, natural horsemanship etc, so that should be awesome to watch, and another great learning opportunity too. Other than that there is not a whole lot of news, will make another entry in a week or so, or maybe after my comp if nothing interesting goes on!

Until next time, Katie xx

The first post...

Hi there!
I should start by introducing myself... My name is Katie, I'm 26. I'm Australian, and I live with my boyfriend Jay on the Mornington Peninsula.
I have been interested in horses forever, well since I was little, and have been riding off and on since I was 12. It was only in recent years where I started competing and taking lessons, following a relationship break up - pouring myself into riding really gave me something to look forward to every week, and before long I was once again hooked on horses!
It wasn't long before I did my first comp, a dressage test which was a huge deal because I came to the school as nothing more than a self taught paddock basher. Next dressage comp I rode a friends horse and placed 4th out of over 20 to get my first ever ribbon, then the jumping comps began where I found my true calling. I absolutely LOVE jumping.
After a couple of years at Oakwood I started looking for horses to work to further my riding as I couldn't afford to have extra lessons, or afford my own horse. I met my now dear friend Georgie through a customer at work, and started riding her off the track thoroughbred, getting him going for her. She had rescued him from being sent to market for meat. Before long she had rescued another, King, and I put my hand straight up to work on him. We decided from there that ex-racehorse rescue was to be our game, and after King went to his new home we got Roger who is my current ride.

This past 6 months have been an absolute whirlwind... I have started working at Oakwood, where I have been taking lessons, and I have started competing Roger in low level dressage and jumping. I have been learning as much as I can, passed my EFA riding certificate to go towards becoming a coach if I decide to do that, and have started competing a horse for a friend of mine to get me out there jumping bigger courses, and to get him back into competing again.
Now the real fun starts, Jay and I have decided to buy an acreage so I can train full time, so we are currently saving like mad for that and are hoping to be in there by this time next year.

I'm hoping I can look back over my posts when we are on our property and remember just how hard we worked for it, and how badly I wanted it. We've been to inspect a few that are on the market and know our price range, what we can afford, where we want to move, and have a pretty good idea of what we want house-wise etc.

I figure if I write it all down, then I am committed to it, so here it is... I want to be a successful horse rescuer and trainer, I want to be a successful show jumper, and I want to do it all from my own property... Here we go!

Luv Katie x