Hey ya'll

[aryn]

I'm Aryn,

I've been crazy about horses for probably more than ten years but have only been riding for about five years now. I took ballet and played soccer before ever riding and don't regret the switch for a minute. It has truly been an immense help in my life especially physically. I was diagnosed with mild cerebral palsy when I was little. In short it's a disease that affects my muscles and ligaments. So getting my heels down is quite the challenge at times, but I manage decently enough.

I have been taking lessons for five years at mainly two different barns. I ride English about 99.9% of the time, having only ridden Western twice in my life. I pretty much ride hunters and the occasional all-around horse that goes both Western and English. I have been jumping in lessons for around 3 years now, and max out at 2'3".

I don't own any horses of my own, though a both barns where I ride have about 50+ horses each. I have four horses/ponies that I love to death between both barns. One is a Chestnut Quarter Pony Gelding, named Fiddlesticks, who taught me what it's like to ride a really lazy pony, and how to deal with really poor ground manners. Then there's Dell a pinto mare, who I've just started working with, she's taught me, in just a few short weeks how to really use my whole body when riding. Then my other two are a 17 year old chestnut gelding named Dutch, who has some really unique markings, he has a dark spot on his side as well as one on one of his hind legs, he taught me the true importance of steering. The last is Chance a Quarter Horse gelding in his mid 20's who is the one I just love spending time with, he was truly the first horse I completely trusted.

In the game I'd like to focuson hunters and maybe some jumpers of any breeds, and possibly eventually get a good line of hunters going.

Well, that was a tad long winded but, I'm trying to avoid doing my AP Calculus Exam review, because I just got off of work and the last thing I feel like doing is homework.

[Gwen]

Nice to meet you, Aryn! Welcome to BITS!

It's really great that you keep active with cerebral palsy. I volunteer at an equine therapy barn, so I see a lot of cases where horses make mobility easier for people who may loose a lot of independence othewise. Good for you :-D

It sounds like the horses you ride are a lot of fun!

I always say a little bit about me in intros. My name is Gwen and I am a college sophomore at Indiana University and an admin here. I have one mare legally, a 17 year old Palomino solid bred paint. She is my world. LOL. I don't legally own, but kinda call my own a 2 year old paint (Panama) and a 4 day old filly (Olivia). You can see pics of the new baby in "the circle of life". In the game, I managed Show Me Halter and Performance Horses and the BITS Stock Breed Registry :-D

I hope you like it here and hope you can manage to get through AP Calc. Ick. I'm a poli sci major. I kinda don't do math. I'm done with it now (thank goodness!)

[Rainbow]

Hey Aryn! I'm Rainbow, another of the admins. =) It's great to have you in the game. I own Wildwind Equestrian Centre, which focuses on hunters, dressage horses, and jumpers. I also own the Hunter/Jumper Association.

In real life, I don't own a horse either, but I'm lucky enough to half-lease a fantastic Thoroughbred gelding, Xavier. He's a 20y/o ex-eventer, but you would NEVER know he's 20 other than that he tires out a little faster than the younger horses. He still loves to go, and go fast. We do dressage (but we occasionally pretend to be hunters, and do poles classes and flat classes since I don't really jump that much -- I have, but it's just not my thing, I guess, and he's getting a little elderly anyways, even though it's easy to forget). I also sometimes ride (and used to half lease) an Appendix QH gelding, Murray. Riding him is like sitting on a couch. both of my "old men" (Murray's 18 now, I think) are fantastic.

Hmm... AP Calc, fun stuff that. I am absolutely dreading taking it next year, but I will have to in order to get the math requirement at my school. My friend is in it this year, so hopefully she can give me some pointers lol. I am NOT a math person. I am currently avoiding studying for AP European History (which I love, but which I don't want to study for anymore!), which is why MY reply got so long-winded.

Anyways, it's great to have you in the game. =) Hopefully you enjoy it here.

[candj]

Nice to meet you Aryn I'm Jen. I own Diamond Elite Farms in BITS. In the game I focus on stockbreeds and racehorses. We also have a couple sporthorses. In RL I own a 3, well now 4 year old appaloosa gelding named Jorge. I have had him for about a year now and plan to show him starting in April. BITS is truly a very fun and active game. I have been here since Oct 2006 and I haven't found anything like it. Hunters and jumpers are very big here so you'll have some competition in the show ring! I am excited to meet your new horses, look around and have fun!

[dana]

Hey Aryn! I'm Dana, owner of Horizon Equestrian Center. In both real life and sim, I'm an eventer to the core

If you're interested in buying some jumpers, there's a bunch for sale in the "Horses for Sale" board, under "Horizon's Downsizing Sale -- Jumpers."

[Nicole]

Hey Aryn, I'm Nicole! In BITS I own Lorey Lane Farms, which at the moment is a bit of a mish-mash, but *will* be focusing on Arabian Sporthorses with a small string of TB racers. I'm also the owner of the BITS Arabian Horse Association and the BITS Horse Rescue Center... as well as the possability of being co-owner of the BITS Sport Horse Association lol.

In RL I (luckily) own a little Quarter Pony named Peanut who's a bit "banged up" you could say,but she's getting along fine. I also ride Arabians for my trainer and plan on starting showing in this spring! (yaay) I'm in 8th grade and 14... so that's about all for me.

I draw my greetings out as well Can't wait to see you around Aryn! BITS is the best SIM ever in my opinion =)

[Christie]

Hey Aryn, welcome to BITS! I'm Christie, owner of Simple Charms Equestrian Center and a few other establishments around the game. Like Dana, I focus on eventing both in RL and here in BITS. In RL, I have a four yr old Thoroughbred gelding named Mystery, who I'm mostly just working with right now, as we don't even really have all the basics down yet, but will eventually event him.

Glad you've decided to join our little group here, I'm sure you'll enjoy it as much as the rest of us do! ;D

[kairi]

Hey Aryn, welcome to the game! I'm *relatively* new to BITS (been on a month or so, I think?). I focus on Warmblood jumpers in the game, and will be opening my new stable soon. Unfortunately I don't own any horses in RL either, but I guess that's the fun in Sim Hope to see you around BITS more!

[aryn]

Wow, nice to meet all of ya'll. I got out of school early today because of snow and I am a little bored. I'm also a bit bummed. I just found out my favorite pony Fiddlesticks was sold sometime in the last four weeks since I'd been at that barn. I will miss the little guy but he went to a good place, and for a good cause. He went to become part of a therapeutic riding program, which says a lot more about his personality than I could ever put into words, and I guess it also says that I managed in the 8 months I was riding him to instill some form of ground manners in him. I also had a really poor lesson on Dell last night, she would not listen at all and was being a brat, mostly because she hadn't been ridden a lot in the last couple of weeks. But I also managed to aquire another semi project pony. Ironically it's the mare my instructor bought for her nine year old daughter. She just has the standard bag of pony tricks and scare tactics, nothing really bad to me, but the instructor's daughter is prone to quitting when things get hard, so hopefully I can make the little girl's life a little easier.

[Cindy]

Hey Aryn,
Welcome to Bits, My name is cindy, In real life I own two miniature geldings A 13 year old palomino named sugarbear and a 11 year old Sorrel named Buddy. Here in Bits I own Thunder Ridge Stables and the Driving Association, I look foward to seeing ya around bits

[aryn]

By the way I finally found some pictures of some of the horses I mentioned.

Here's Dutch- this was taken last summer so he's a bit furrier now, but still as sweet as ever, granted he drives me insane, he stand right by the gate when I need to turn horses out at work.


This is Fiddlesticks or as I more commonly call him Fiddle or Fid, I miss the little booger.



I have sort of lost my pictures of Chance but plan on getting some this weekend if I work. I do not have pictures of Dell mostly because it has not been light enough out when I go for my lesson to take pics without a flash. Photography is a hobby of mine, I like to take pics at local shows. If you're interested go to
www.geocities.com/equusphotomenagerie to see my pictures, I'd love to have your opinions.

[Rainbow]

Aww, they look like cuties. I'm sad to hear they sold Fiddlesticks, but it sounds like it was for a really great cause (I used to volunteer at a theraputic riding place, and the work they do is so admirable). I'd love to see more pics lol.

And I'm SO jealous of the fact that you got to go to the Washington International Horse Show... I can't complain too much, since there is a fairly large showgrounds just 20 minutes from my house (Lamplight Equestrian Center, currently hosting the American Eventing Championships), but I'd love to see the WIHS. =)

[candj]

I'm sorry about your horse being sold too. I work at a therapeutic riding center and have to say he will serve a great purpose and change someone's life for the better. Nice pics too!

[Nicole]

I'm sorry that Fiddlesticks was sold, but therapeutic riding is a great thing I was even going to give my pony a riding center near Indianapolis, but in a change events I didn't, so now me and the little puffball are having fun playing around and pretending to be cowgirls in my trainers indoor arena ^_^ Come to think of it.. Peanut may be not be right for it just yet But I love your pictures! I'll have to look at the others sometime!

[Christie]

Aww, the pictures are adorable! Sorry to hear about Fiddlesticks, but at least you know that he has a good home, and will certainly be well-loved, doing something like therapeutic riding. Good luck with the new project pony!

[aryn]

Thanks, I know he went to a good cause I did some volunteer work with a therapeutic riding program this summer. It was definatly worth while and I plan on volunteering in their winter session starting next week. I know the program I worked with was looking for another horse so I have a little bit of hope that maybe mine and Fiddle's paths will cross again. And the trip to the WIHS was a birthday gift from my dad this year we were 11 rows from ringside it was awesome.

[buckingwildranch]

I'm new here!!
Liked your pic's, signed your book!!