The connection between Kendra Forsyth and her horse Wally is unbreakable
Preparing for competition as a team in October is serious work, but the duo have a lot of fun too.
Kendra Forsyth (14) is an accomplished and passionate show-jumping champion.
She has been competing with a lovely horse called Butterfly, but Wally, who is 14 years old is the horse she has a true connection with.
She explained how much this sport means to her, “I love everything about horse riding. It gives me freedom and is so good for me both mentally and physically.”
She and Wally have a close relationship, but other horses at the stables also form part of her equestrian family. Forsyth loves grooming and feeding the horses carrots at every chance she gets.
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She and Wally will be competing together for the first time at the South African National Equestrian Schools Association (Senesa) for Northcliff High School, “I am excited for this but also slightly nervous because he loves jumping and going fast and can be a bit strong.”
She rode her first horse at only three years old and planted the seed for a lifetime’s passion for these beautiful animals. Forsyth hopes to become a professional rider when she finishes school because she ‘loves the competition element of riding and I hope to compete at all the big shows throughout the country.
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When asked for an interesting fact about horses, she said, “Something people might not know is that horses can sleep standing up. This I called ‘stayed apparatus’ which allows the horse to lock their legs in a position so they can relax without falling over. Another interesting fact is that horses have the ability to feel human emotions. Signs that a horse trusts you might be when they nudge you, they breathe in your face, they show you respect, they rest their head on you or walk up and greet you.”
Forsyth has launched her own business called Horse Addicts By Kendra. She sells a natural horse and pet fly spray after not being able to find one she liked and has worked incredibly hard to create the formula for this product. She also launched a lavender conditioning shampoo with more items coming soon. You can follow her and her products on Instagram at @horseaddictbykendra
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