LIMPOPO – Sheri-Lee MaGuire is a talented equestrian who is making a name for herself in the competitive world of horseback riding.
With a natural gift and passion, Sherie-Lee has been impressing judges with her skills in the ring.
“I started riding when I was 5 years old. My mom sent me for therapy at a local riding school and I guess it was love at first sight. I ride my horse Ally between five and six days a week,” Sheri-Lee says.
“My training programme is determined by what our next goal is and whether we have an upcoming show. I focus mainly on jumping, but we alternate between stamina work such as bush canters and some dressage work. I am extremely fortunate to have an amazing coach, Traci Thomson, who is the owner of African Dream Horse Safaris,” she told the Herald.
She says that to have a strong bond with your horse you have to spend a lot of time with your horse, not only riding.
“Grooming, doing in-hand work and simply just loving and spoiling them. To get to know your horse, you have to be next to them, as opposed to being on top of them. You learn so much about their behaviour, likes and dislikes when you just spend time with them,” she says.
As a working mother of two, a wife, and furthering her studies, time is a constraint.
“To balance work, family time, my studies and my riding is quite challenging. Hoedspruit is also relatively far away from most of the main showjumping venues, so we are limited to two or three graded venues that are close enough for us to compete at, which is challenging especially because we do ride competitively,” she adds.
She says safety is a priority in horse riding.
“Wearing a helmet is compulsory. Some of us also make use of safety air vests, which are relatively new in horse riding,” she says. “Some younger riders ride with body protectors,” she says.
“Our ultimate goal is to ensure, above all, the comfort and safety of our horses,” she added.
She says that at African Dream they are fortunate to have grooms who take care of their horses daily.
“They ensure that the horses always have fresh water and grass. We are also extremely fortunate to have Shannon Hancock as a stable manager. She ensures that our horses are in tip-top shape,” she says.
According to her, horses are accident-prone, therefore owners have several veterinarians on speed dial.
She encourages anyone to become an equestrian. “Horses are simply amazing. It’s the most rewarding feeling when you have worked with a horse, and you earn his trust. You’ll fall in love instantly,” she concludes.
