Shell in brief: Horses, Photography, Art, Design & Health...
Here you will find a brief description of who I am, what I do and a bit about me.
For more indepth explanation - please see the 'History' pages on both the Reigate CB & SH Stud 'site' and the Winged Horse Productions 'site'.
As well as (retiring from) breeding horses, I am also a (retired but desperately wanting to get back into it if I can get NDIS help with equipment and support hours) Photographer, Artist & Designer, hence the two websites joined in this manner.
Now located at Whyalla, on South Australias Eyre Peninsula, the 'Steel City' - once known for ship building, and now known for its steel works, having the only jetty with a circular piece in the centre of it, we have a lovely beach, marina that attracts dolphins almost daily, sea lions are popping up now too, and of course there are the giant cuttlefish that you can go on a dive tour with, and Im not sure of the state of our Snapper Fishing comp that used to be on... I think it might be on rest til the stocks build up a bit more.
Having always been keen on photography and anything art/craft related - it was only natural that I would pursue a career in these fields. With my health issues - it has made things a little more difficult than I would like - but I do what I can, when I can.
In 2018, my Doctors and Specialists put their foot down and said get rid of the horses, get rid of all your other ideas, move home, back to family, back to civilisation, stop living miles away from anywhere and doing stupid things (I think they meant like being smacked in the face with wire strainers, crash tackling shetland ponies in the forest in the evenings, slipping over hurting my already completely compromised and extremely unstable spine and neck, messing with my Autoimmune and Autonomic Disorders and not letting my body rest as much as it should and ending up getting carted off in ambulances semi regularly.... oh and having stress related heart attacks when they search to find a 'reason' and find that my 'pipes' are pristine and of course I have NO cholestoral or diabetes issues at all.... ) ... So peer pressure, and I packed up - well - backpackers, housemate, friends etc all packed me up, Dad came over a few times and took gear back after we (me/mum/dad) found a house with full disability set up, and I rehomed the horses/ponies - EXCEPT for Bill - the reason I breathe.... and Bronte, and I seriously only let little Saffy go because Sherin loved her to bits.... I found a lease home for Bill and Bronte (BIG mistake that one was)
So with a list of health issues a mile long - both physical and mental - and yes - I think It is VERY important to talk about mental health. Right - so I see SOME folk actually start to roll their eyes at it these days and go 'oh everyones getting on that bandwagon' - but you know what? THOSE folk may be the 0.0002% of the population who have their ducks in a row, OR part of the rest of us who DON'T but do not wish to admit it.
I have suffered with various mental health disorders ALL my life. BiPolar II, Anxiety, Chronic Depression, OCD, PTSD, - not a heck of a lot of fun.
My Counselor, I'll just shorten her name to Mel, and I have been discussing all sorts - I may actually start a blog - it might be cathartic and good for me, so if you are keen on reading something blog like from me - on life, my weird and somewhat twisted thoughts, my horses who are now back in my life and with me here in Whyalla - in the care of my wonderful friends who know how much they mean to me... Then maybe get in touch, I will make it a closed one that you have to have a password to get into I think. That will make me feel a little better.
I have had folk email me from across the globe from what is written on, I think its the WHP History page saying it has helped them immensely in that I was brave enough to put it all out there and just push on, and they have been able to sit back and look at their lives and go ok, if she can, I can. .... but have a read of both.
**** TOP PHOTO: MAKEUP ON - Pic taken in 2014 - Aged 40 and 3/4.
**** PHOTO AT LEFT: NO MAKEUP - Pic taken 2021 - Aged 47 and 11 months. I think I look younger in my latest pic.
To go to the individual history pages of both
Reigate Cleveland Bay & Sporthorse Stud
and
These links will give you an indepth look at how and why I do what I do. They will also possibly leave you wondering why I have not completely lost the plot by now and given up.
I guess if I give up, I would have to find something else to occupy my time and keep me broke. though right now - I am at that point of just giving in and giving up more often than not.
There is no point to living if you do not enjoy what you do, even if it does drive you batty at times!
