I begin with a short biography, as a ‘light’ reflexive commentary, which will permeate this project. As a young girl, I was a female centaur. I played at being a horse, cantering around, snorting and kicking up my heels. I immersed myself in all things equine, I sought out horse toys, books and films and was described as obsessive.

My family reinforced this passion and on my eighth birthday I was given riding lessons. As a horse crazy teenager, I spent long hours at the stables caring for horses. Since then, apart from periods at University as an undergraduate student and a lecturer, I have never been without horses in my life. I have bred, trained and competed at regional level. Horses have shaped who I am. As a species I am indebted to their generosity of spirit and wonder at their beauty as they gallop around the paddock. Relationships with horses have enriched my life, as with them I can be myself. Also, through a love of horses I am able to make friends with other women that have mutual interests. Whenever I meet a horse crazy friend a topic of discussion will always be horses. Horse stories have shared in many of my daily encounters and there is much similar anecdotal evidence appearing on the internet. It Is not surprising that my academic research and passion should merge in this research project.

At present I find my self horseless - less than me.

I lecture in psychology at Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.

I was not from a horsey family.

Born and raised in Nigeria I sometimes rode local polo ponies.

As a teenager, in the UK,  I had the privilege of caring for two horses belonging to a family acquaintance. 

My first teaching job enabled me (and husband) to save to buy P - my parents helped with some funds.

Initally P was kept in livery until we saved enough to buy a small house and some land (2 acres).

Move to a new home with a little more land (3 acres).

Some extra marking enabled to afford to breed with P and The Assessor was born.

My husband then wanted his own horse - so Lagos was purchased.

Emigation to NZ.

Initially rented a property with land and agisted some horses for a friend.

Purchase of 25 acres and home.

More money spent on setting up stables, sheds, round pen, etc.

In our time at this property we had 11 horses (Suzy [Waterford and Lol], Swyte [lost twin foals], Tom, Pepper, Gesh [Aero], Bubbles [Spats] and Rummy).

Spats aka Action Potential [Hannoverian]	Lol aka Jebel Kazali [Anglo Arab]	Tom or Petroski [TB]

Emigration to Darwin.

Initially rented a property with land (5 acres) and did have permission from the owners to section off some for a paddock.

Then bought a 20 acre bush block which we still have to clear for grass.

One day I will be complete again.