About
Eileen Childs
Hi, my name is Eileen Childs. Welcome to my site “The Beginners Guide To Horses”.
When I was a child growing up in California, my family had horses and I rode Western, but I never had the opportunity to take formal lessons or to participate in horse shows.
Later in life, my 12 daughter became interested in horses and wanted to take riding Lessons. At that point, we were living on the East Coast in Virginia in an area with a strong English equestrian culture. When I began taking my daughter to lessons something happened. I found that I not only missed being around horses, but I also wanted to take formal lessons! It wasn’t long before I bought a horse and then a second horse and then a truck and horse trailer. We started to participate in horse shows and our walls soon began to fill up with the ribbons and awards. We tried various disciplines (hunt seat, jumping, eventing) before deciding that we both preferred dressage.
Soon my daughter outgrew her first horse and was ready to move up. So, we purchased a two year Georgian Grande filly we named “Anya”. This was a very new
breed and we spent the next two years breaking and training her. At first Anya was too young to be ridden in shows, so we started entering her in breed shows.
Anya
These are shows where the horse is shown “in hand” rather than being ridden. Once Anya was ready, we entered her in dressage shows where she and my daughter always finished in the top three of their classes.
I liked Anya so much, that when it was time for me to get new horse, I wanted another Georgian Grande. So, I purchased a three year old named Lyoskha. He was a
a beautiful black and white pinto who had sired one foal. He had the same sire as Anya, so they are half siblings. I entered Anya and Lyoshka in the Dressage at Devon Breed Show in September of 2009. This is the largest and most prestigious show of its kind in the United States. Lyoshka was the 2009 Georgian Grande Champion and Anya was the Reserve Champion.
Lyoshka
My daughter and I have enjoyed our Georgian Grandes so much, that we are now the Virginia State Representatives for the International Georgian Grande Breed Registry. Lyoshka is continuing his training and I hope to start showing him in dressage shows in the Spring of 2010. Anya is doing very well for a four year old and is schooling at first level. In November of 2009, Anya was pictured in the United States Dressage Federation magazine (USDF Connection) in an article about Georgian Grandes. She was chosen by the USDF out of hundreds of other horses to represent the breed.
I created this blog, because I wanted to share all I have learned about horses. There is so much to it and I wish I had had the opportunity to learn earlier in life. I hope you find some information here that helps you as you explore the wonderful world of horses.
