Hello from the UAE

[pharoahmanda]

Hi all,

Im a British expat living in a sleepy Emirate called Ras al Khaimah, we own two horses Atlanta, a German Warmblood, 21 years and Marisol, an Argentinian, 18 yo. Our (hubby and I) only discipline is going on lovely hacks/trailing around the area we live in nearly every day. Started riding 10 years back with a few years break in-between, now back in the saddle and loving it.

 

[Widgeon]

Hello! I have to confess to needing to look up Ras al Khaimah - but it looks lovely! If you don't mind my extreme nosiness, which bit do you live in - inland or further up North, near the city? What's the hacking like? I'm always really interested to hear how people live and keep horses in different places and cultures. Glad to hear you're back enjoying riding again!

 

[pharoahmanda]

Ha ha, everybody thinks of Duba and Abu Dhabi but not of the other 5 Emirates. We are close in the city but live on the stable grounds where our business is which is 60 acres so we do feel like we are in the middle of nowhere. The hacking is a bit repetitive, sand dunes, dusty trees but lately we have been getting brave going around the village type areas on the outskirts of the area we are close to. We don't go on roads at all to avoid the mad driving here. Now is a good time of year because the weather is fab in the summer the heat is up to 47c so ride for 20 minutes in the morning at sun up and then evenings after dark, hacking is just a no go from June to October because of the heat. In the summer the horses are inside in air conditioning.

 

[Widgeon]

Thank you! Sounds pretty well unimaginable to me at the moment, I get home from work at 5 and look out at the pitch black and rain and sometimes it's only knowing that my instructor will know me for a total wuss that gets me out there at all.