About me

I'm Nick. I am 38 years old and I live in the UK. Horses are the most important feature in my life, and this site and it collection of horse pictures is the result of my equestrian pursuits.

I have been very lucky as far as horses are concerned. I started riding in 1988 during my last year of A-Levels. My headmaster kept complaining that my interests were too narrow ... I was always doing things with computers.

I considered that ladies were at their best in riding attire and could think of no better reason to try horse riding. With that in mind I managed to persuaded my headmaster to contribute to the cost of me taking up horse riding.

No sooner than I got on a horse did I find out how hard it was ... it was not quite as straight forward as it looked. For a whole hour the horse just stood there wondering what I was doing oh his back. I was determined to learn to communicate with these magnificent creatures.

Until this day there has not been a more powerful motivation in my life than the horse. Every waking moment is directed to my next time with them ... as extreme as it may sound, there is no life for me without horses.

I am still looking for that right girl who knows how to handle a horse and looks good doing it, but thus far I have found a more than adequate substitute with my equine companions wherever they be, whatever we do, wherever I am around the world.

My first ever ride was on a horse called Henry. I learnt at a place called Urchinwood Manor in Bristol. These photos don't show my first lesson, for the early stages were uninteresting, but we quickly made progress.

Helping Henry educate this novice rider was Hercy.

When I went to University in Southampton I found a nice friendly stables where I ended up adopting someone else's horse. Lucky was a rather lazy Cleveland Bay who wouldn't do much and nobody wanted to ride.

We ended up achieving a lot together. She made me feel good as a rider because we made so much progress. For a horse who would not trot, knew no school work and did not jump we came a long way.

After Lucky it was time for my own horse. Seamus was a lovely Irish Draught x TB gelding. We had a lot of fun together despite his little foibles. He was an ex grade-B showjumper who had been over-faced and had gone off jumping. I found out this minor detail rather too late in our relationship. Eventually we reluctantly parted company because he didn't like competing and it was something I wanted to do.

Seamus was my only true love and I miss him dearly. I should never have sold him ... never sell your loved ones.

I replaced Seamus with Willow. She was a gorgeous bay TB mare with lovely paces and a super jump.

At this time I finished my degree ... I got a First Class with Honours. Regrettably it was time to leave university and get a job ... However riding was so much that I decided to stay on at University and do a PhD instead.

I met my ex-girlfriend Philippa at this time and we shared Willow. Philippa had a number of horses who feature heavily on this site. Together we bought and schooled Plato - He was the most impressive horse I have even know - I will always be his biggest fan.

I must mention Troy our German Shepherd, he was a dear puppy dog.

In the four years I was with Phillipa, I took most of the photos so there aren't many of me.

We split up when I finished my PhD and haven't spoken since. I left all the horses including Plato and my dog Troy with her ... it was best for them all. It hurt a lot to leave them and I miss them all. It marked the end of another chapter in my life.

Without horses life was looking dire and I was in urgent need of something equine.

And with this I started something I never thought possible ... Polo.

I play polo whenever I can ... my outdoor handicap is now 0 and my arena handicap is 2.

I am torn between that and normal riding and jumping. Luckily I have friends in all spheres of equestrian life and still get to do all sorts of wonderful things with my equine friends - time permitting !!!

I like to try and ride wherever I go in the world. I am fortunate to have some excellent friends in France who enable me to ride whenever I am there. It is amazing how the approach to riding varies in different countries.

Two new wonderful beasts have entered my life.

Bertie is a 15'2" Appaloosa gelding. We ended up together by accident when the riding school who owned him decided to sell him and I was forced to make a snap decision as to whether I should buy him.

It was an agonising time, but I don't regret it at all. He is a real character, everyone seems to love him. He likes his jumping and has a string festive spirit.

Under duress, I am trying to get Bert to play polo ... he does it begrudgingly.

What he lacks in polo ability he makes up in character ... when it comes to food, Bert will do anything ... even bow.

For the first time now we are mobile, and every now and again we look for an excuse to go an excursion. We don't compete seriously, in fact we don't compete at all ... but Bert is always up for a visit to Hyde Park in London or to do a sponsored ride round Badminton.

Shortly after Bert, George arrived in Bert's field one day ... they seem to have become the best of friends ... I have this perpetual dilemma of who to ride first.

George is a polo pony, god knows what he was before. He is a real cutie, always happy to see me however long or short since his last sighting. Not satisfied with trying to turn jumping Bertie into polo Bertie, I am trying to turn polo George into jumping George. All I can say is what he lacks in experience he makes up in effort, after no more than 8 jumping lessons, George took me round his first ever cross country course.

Oh yes, in case you were still wondering about my sanity, one last thing ... here are some of my horsey friends who keep me company at the office ...

22 May 1998

2 Dec 1999

20 Jul 2001

If you have the urge to send me other horsey items to join my little family,
they would be in great company and very well looked after :-)

The horses went in billions by billions...
As you can see there has been a small explosion in the number of furry equines. With the recent floods in the UK they seem to have retreated to higher ground, which is odd seeing as we are on the third floor. A modern day Noah's Ark if you like ... I guess they know best.

And if that was not enough ...

If you wana chat ... send me an email.