I wonder who reads this...

In my inbox today, I found a survey from the AHA, Arabian Horse Association. They sent this out to others like myself, who have let their membership lapse.

In a few places it would have been helpful, had they allowed multiple choices to be selected, since none of us really fit into a single box. Pigeon holing anyone? Please don't do this AHA. Nobody benefits from that.

I love the breed. They are beautiful horses, extremely intelligent and can be wonderful mounts for a variety of sports and competitions. They are not overly sensitive as many people think they are, they are usually just out thinking their handlers. That's when the problems start. There are a number of horses that fall into the same category but of different breeds.

As everyone knows, I was pregnant with the twins for most of 2008. I quit riding along about month 3 of that. I just did NOT feel comfortable on a horse, any horse, in any saddle, even at a walk, so I gave it up for the remainder of the days. My mares got a year off, I was no longer giving lessons and all of my memberships had lapsed.

Guess what? I am now eligible for Amateur status! At least under the guidelines of USEF. It has now been officially two years of me being 'off' from the horses- showing, training, teaching and coaching. I just need to apply, go through all the proper channels (to read paperwork and a few forms) and waa laa- Done!

So in getting back to the survey, they were wondering if I am going to be renewing my membership. I am likely going to renew, but based solely on the grounds of a few things happening. One of them would be that I get our Arab stallion going under saddle again. He's feeling quite spunky though lately, so it may be time to get going with that.

*He's the one in my avatar. I snapped the pic on a Saturday morning as he came blasting across the turnout towards the fence and me with my camera phone. I had turned him out, he was playing and having an absolute BLAST! I love seeing that.*

I will renew IF a friend or former client wants their horse shown, IF we end up with another Arab that has the potential to do well in the ring or IF another client comes along wanting their horse shown and I am the one chosen to do it. If it is our horse- Ammy. A friends or clients horse- open. I just can't and don't see doing it any other way. At least not if I wish to play fairly. How others go about it- that's up to them in the Karma Lottery.

At the end of the survey, there is a box where you can fill in the AHA with any comments you may have. I filled them in on a lot of things on my mind. I just wonder who reads this stuff and if anything I have said will actually do any good. One can hope, right?