Hi!

 First of all thank you for visiting my JustGiving page in support of the Bransby Home for Rest of Horses and my 27th birthday.

 Towards the end of last year I started thinking about those who have made an impact in my life over the past several years. One of those beings was my horse Bella. No matter how long we've known each other, I am sure you are aware of my great love of horses and what a vital role they have played and continue to play in my life.

 I would like to think that each of us has at least one day in our life that we remember as being 'the best day of our lives'. For me, that day was when my mom got off the phone with my trainer and told me that Bella had passed the final vet exam and was mine - I even remember what pyjamas I was wearing! Sad but true! Although our partnership started off slowly (I was so nervous about riding her at first that my trainer would have to ride her for half an hour before I felt confident enough to get on her myself) it grew over the years and proved to be one of the most vital and cherished partnerships of my life. 

Some people will think I'm crazy to be going on like this whilst others will understand exactly where I am coming from and going with this - either way bear with me - I'm getting to my point I promise :)

Bella helped me through a very challenging chapter of my life. Over the 6 years that we were partners in crime, so to speak, she taught me crucial life lessons that I will never forget.  Bella was one of the first (albeit not the last) to help me learn what it is to have confidence in oneself. She taught me what it meant to love and to be loved unconditionally, to trust and be trusted, but most importantly, Bella taught me what it is to be humble and be humbled in return.

At the end of December 2011, when thinking about what my New Year's resolution was going to be, I decided that I would continue what I had started in 2011, that is, I would continue to reconnect with a part of me that I thought had been lost when I moved to the UK and away from my inspiration - Bella. Having said that, I have decided that I will achieve my resolution (as strange as it may seem) by exploring emotion through drawing what I love - horses. But that is more of a personal resolution and I am sure you are asking yourself at this point where exactly am I going with this so I'll tell you. Following this personal New Year's resolution, I found myself thinking about what it was I could do to have a positive impact on the lives of horses.

The answer presented itself whilst thinking about what I would do to celebrate my 27th birthday. In honour of those equines who have touched our hearts in one way or another, I would like to take this opportunity to raise enough money to help re-home a horse or at least support a horse for 6-12 months at the Bransby Home of Rest for Horses in 2012. 

See, I told you I had a point :) Long winded as it may have been - we got there in the end!

So if I can be so bold if I haven't been already, I would ask you to support my goal of raising £270 (in honour of my 27th birthday) to help support the horses of  Bransby Home for Rest of Horses.

From the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU! Thank you for listening and thank you for your love and support of me and a cause that means so much to me.

I hope we can go and visit our rescued horse together in the coming months. 

 With love always,

Alex xoxoxo