HGG Community Forums

Hi, Karoline. My name is Melody, though I'm usually called "Sandy" here in the game from my stable name. I live in Pennsylvania in the United States. I'm a retired life-long horse lover, though I've never owned one and class myself as a novice walk-trot rider. I get my real horse fix as a therapeutic riding instructor, where I help people of all ages and disabilities learn to ride or enjoy other horse-related activities. I especially am glad when I get a chance to drive Rosie, our haflinger pony, who is now over 20. She's been a therapeutic riding horse since she was 4 years old, but we no longer have people riding her.

I've been playing HaJ 1 since early in 2011 and HaJ 2 since October 2013. You might be interested to know that my breed name in HaJ2 is based on Norwegian for Sandy and Creek: Sandbuktian. *G* Here in HaJ1, my breed is taken from German: Bachsandigan.

Here's a poem I wrote about Rosie when she was much younger, and what she gave to one of our most severely disabled riders.

ROSIE'S GIFT

In a silent world of vague shadows and light,
confined to the sense of touch,
you reach writhing legs and good arm
(the other, shoulder displaced by birth,
hangs twisted and still).
Does something-anything-lie beyond my chair?

Trapped for a lifetime in infant mind,
so grievously wounded, what can you know?

You are lifted with care,
tenderly carried to Rosie and placed,
legs yawning, on broad back.
She, pasture bully, spoiled brat mare,
stands quiet, accepting your awkward weight,
five attendants pressed close,
never twitches ear, leg, or tail,
walks on, when you're settled, with gentle step.

Hips, shoulders move-
front, back, up down,
and barrel swings-
left, right, left, right.
You sway, then catch,
with some support,
her stride's strong beat.

Quite soon your restless arm and legs grow still.
They rest in the rocking of this moving world.

Your grin appears, a broad balloon
of helium happiness that lifts us, too.
You know the best of things-
both joy and love.

Hi ladies :)

My name is Katherine, Kat for short. I'll be 28 next Friday, am married to a wonderful husband, and we have 2 daughters, who are 5 and 2. We live in Southern Indiana, in the town where my husband was born and raised, but I am originally from Maryland.

We don't currently own any horses, but I have owned 8 different Appaloosas in my lifetime. I started riding when I was 4, and have ridden both English and Western.

I started playing HAJ in December of 2014, and played on server 2 for a bit, but couldn't keep up with the faster pace. I invited some friends to play along with me, and they've become addicted, too. I obviously have an issue with Appaloosas, since I try to put spots on everything I breed lol.

This summer my girls and I will be doing a good but of travelling to pass the time, and to visit family. Right now we're in West Virginia for the weekend, on our way to visit my side of the family in Maryland for a couple weeks. Later on in the summer we'll be headed to Nebraska for a week to visit my dad's side of the family (though he lives in MD), then after that we are headed to Colorado to meet up with my family for a fun vacation. My mom was raised by a pair of teachers, and she herself was an accountant, so summers have always been for adventures. I'm hoping to carry on the tradition.

Hi I'm Jennifer. I live in Florida, and am currently unemployed looking for a job since I graduated last year in August with my associate's degree. I am not married but I do have a 20 month old daughter with my boyfriend.

I had a red dun Welsh x Quarter gelding for some years when I lived with my grandmother in New Mexico. He was a trained ranch horse before I acquired him from his former owner. He had been a real cowboy but couldn't work anymore due to diabetes.

I class myself as a very green novice rider. i can handle walks just fine, but trotting wasn't something I could master yet. I was also bold enough to ride bare back several times. I rode Western.

I still miss Little Star (my gelding) but I made sure he went to a good home after I moved out of state and couldn't afford to take him with me. If he's still alive, he would be 27ish now.

I would dearly love to have a horse again, but I don't see that happening any time soon since I live in a metro area. It would be pretty expensive to keep one.

My name is Caitlin, I'm 27, and I have been riding for 4 years. I live in Virginia, United States. I always wanted horses, but I couldn't get one until I was an adult. Luckily, I have the best husband in the world who supports me and my addiction. We own two horses, a 13 y/o Canadian warmblood and a 3 y/o American warmblood. I love how this game has taught me about the fundamentals of horse genetics, and this game is as addicting as the horses themselves... At least I think so. Anyway, glad to know I'm not the only eventer here! Here's a pic of a mare I am leasing from my boss, Ann-Louise. She's originally from Sweden.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10157193586150276&set=t.716415275&type=3&theater

Hello Everyone.

My name is Dottie and I live in Ky. Which is in the United States. I do have horses. I have a registered paint who was my herd sire till I gelded last October so that my boys who are 9 and 11 could show in 4H. I have also a Shetland pony that belongs to my youngest son and she and Sky had a stud colt in July. His name is Orion he is a Romero.

I have been in horses since 2002. I love them they are my therapy. Sky's daughter who I just sold was my main riding horse. I got points on her but she went to friends right down the road from me and my boys will get to show her still in 4H.

Hey there all!

I'm Natalie and I currently live near Denver Colorado. I have several horses with my family and do all kinds of riding though evening is my favorite. I have a teenage daughter who used to ride but is scared of horses now but my dad is an avid rider and my mom trail rides. Between the lot of us we have four horses, and will be getting a fifth by the end of the month. I am currently a truck driver, flatbed semis, but will be a limo driver soon. I have been training horses and teaching riding for 15-20 years and riding for 30. I love genetics and have been playing this game since February 2007.

Hi! I'm Laura. I'm 53 years old.
I live about an hour and a half away from Boston, in Massachusetts. I have never owned a real live horse (though I have always wanted to.) I have ridden a few times in my life, but I'm very inexperienced. Figured out the last time I rode, that the problem was I was always being given the "big slow horse", because I wasn't a good rider. Turns out I need "a small slow horse", something I can get my short legs around, lol.
Anyway, I've got over 200 Breyers, (for my horse fix, besides the HJ1 and HJ2 games). I'm sort of a Jack of all Trades when it comes to art, as I paint, draw, create jewelry, love doing sculpture, but rarely get to do it, and all kinds of odds and ends, like sewing costumes and other clothing.

I work in the floral department of a Whole Foods grocery store. I've been with the company since Nov. 1994. It helps pay the bills.

Well hello FadingLands and welcome to the game. That is very interesting that you work on a Thoroughbred farm I wish I did. Love to watch them on TV. I got to meet Cigar a few years ago when I took my kids to the Lexington Park.

My youngest once a Thoroughbred. You are living the dream that I always wanted to do. I am thankful for what I have and my horses. My youngest son wants to learn how to jump.

Sweet. Do you own any Australian Brumbys

Hello all,
I'm Michelle and go by DoubleMash. (HJ1 and HJ2, and HJ2 I have another account as DoubleMash2)
I'm 49 and from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. I am the mother of two grown children, divorced but now in a much better relationship (almost 9 years of sheer bliss, compared to the chaos that was doomed from the start of the last marriage).
I have two horses and work as an Administrative Assistant for our provincial harness racing association. (Standardbreds) I own an 18 yr old Standardbred mare who trained to race. She never made a career on the track and has been an all round pleasure horse for me for 12 years now. My second horse, a 13 year old QH mare was a temporary acquisition to work on retraining her as she sat in a field for 6 years without any real work . Her owners didn't have strong horse skills and the mare got away with everything. Over the past year, she has been reminded what manners are and has become a wonderful riding horse with great potential. I recently decided to put her up for sale, as I cannot afford to keep two horses either time wise or financially as retirement is on my horizon.
My husband and I like to travel, and I attended Hurdal Verk Folkehøgskole in Norway when I was 19, and still try to speak Norwegian whenever possible. I have a goal to try to learn 5 languages over the next 5-8 years. So two down, and three are works in progress (Portuguese , French and Spanish)