# My Story - My Journey



## Kuzuri (Feb 10, 2015)

First off, hi, my name is Janni.  I've already written a lengthy introduction when I joined, which you can read here

But I'll still make a short version here:
I live in Denmark, and due to a disorder in the autistic spectrum (MCDD) that also includes schizophrenic and bipolar symptoms as well as ADHD, plus a few physical problems (nerve damages in legs and abdomen and fibromyalgia), I am on disability/early pension. Also, I live in an assisted living facility that also functions as an organic farm, where we keep cattle (Angus-Aberdeen), sheep, chicken and horses (two Icelandic horses named Neisti and Mysla), and grow our own vegetables that we also sell along with the eggs and meat we produce.

I haven't owned horses all of my life, but I've always been fascinated by them - their beauty and grace have always captivated me, as has their gentle nature. But for a long while, I was actually scared of them, until my mother got the crazy idea to enroll me in a trial riding lesson when I was 18. I got on a horse for the first time in my life, and although I was rigid and terrified, I somehow also loved it. So I slowly started being around horses as an equine-assisted physiotherapy/therapy riding assistant where I lead the horses and eventually became brave enough to be a "back-rider" (a person who sits behind the disabled person and holds him/her upright and on the horse if they're not able to do it themselves). And then, I started riding on my own.

After a while, I decided to get my own horse - I bought a throughbred trotting/sulky race horse that had never raced, and that was sold to me as "the perfect beginner's horse". Several "unintended dismounts", uncountable concussions and one broken pelvic bone later, I realized that she wasn't the horse for me. So I lent her to a really nice girl that ended up buying her - she does dressage to this day and is generally a nice horse if you know what you're doing, but STILL not anywhere near a beginner's horse!

After a while of not having a horse, I bought Tulle - a Norwegian Fjord - who really WAS the perfect therapy/beginner's horse! She was gentle, level-headed, and would stop if you lost your balance and wouldn't take another step before you regained it. She was just... well, perfect.

Unfortunately, I became very ill only one year after buying her, so I had to sell her too. It was one of the hardest decisions I've ever made, but it was the right one as I could no longer give her the care she deserved.

That was in 2007. I am now stable and have been well for quite a few years, and I've missed owning a horse ever since! And now that I have the funds to buy and keep one, it's time to get out there again!

Luckily, I have the best riding instructor in the world who knows me inside out and knows his horse-stuff as well. He breeds, shows and keeps Icelandic horses - and since that is the breed I have fallen for, that is what I'm looking for, and he's helping me. He knows everyone worth knowing in the Icelandic horse world, and he's pretty well-known himself, so I appreciate his help more than words can describe! I KNOW he'll be a huge help in finding the perfect horse!

So that was the story so far - keep checking this thread, as I will be updating it as I try finding the right horse!


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## Kuzuri (Feb 10, 2015)

I decided to write this in another post so the opening post wouldn't get so much longer.

My instructor has tracked down a horse that might be a perfect fit, both for me and the horse! It's a gelding - and my instructor won't tell me anything else, apart from the fact that the head is in the front end and that it has four legs, so that I won't get too excited if the owner/seller ends up selling it before it arrives at his farm, haha.

Yes, this has happened before - we found a horse that seemed PERFECT, and everything was in place for it to arrive at his farm. He and the seller had made an agreement. But one day before it was scheduled to arrive, the owner/seller called and said she had sold it to someone else.  Why, thank you!

This horse is scheduled to arrive on Thursday (TWO DAYS!) and I'm supposed to meet it and try riding it on Friday. I can't wait!  I try not to get too excited, but it's very hard, hahaha.


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## Roadyy (Feb 9, 2013)

Good luck on finding and actually getting another horse. Sounds like you have figured out a mentality for overcoming your trials and tribulations. I look forward to reading about whatever horse you and your coach find.


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