Update (22/08/2005):

Leelu has a new role – mom to be! Evie says: “Just thought you might like to know that she’s settling in nicely into her new life as professional broodmare. Jenni at Saratoga loves her, and says she is adored by everyone there. She even struts her stuff when people come to look at the stallions.”

Update (31/07/2005):

Leelu is going to be a mom! She has gone down to Kwazulu Natal to be covered by a warmblood stallion. Watch this space for more news.

An introduction to Leelu by Eveline van Vuuren

I've now had Leelu for just over two years. She was my birthday present from my hubby, Renier, on my first birthday after we got married. Poor guy had no idea what he let himself in for! He made a friend of mine pretend she was interested in this horse, and I just had to go along to help her in her choice. The friend then reported back to Renier, and he phoned me to ask if I liked the horse we went to look at. I told him I liked her very much, and he told me to organize a stable and a horse box, and to come and collect the cheque from his office; very romantic!

Leelu's registered name is Learn your Letters, so it was a bit of a struggle to find a stable name for her. Again Renier came to the rescue: he asked me what she looked like (as he hadn't seen her himself yet), so I explained that she is a chestnut, sort of like a redhead (he is non-horsey, so just looked at my funny when I mentioned 'chestnut'). He then asked if she was big; I said no, she was built like a model, lean and sleek to which he immediately said: "Oh, like Leelu from the movie!". You see, he's just watched "the fifth element" with his favorite actress in it, and her name in the movie was Leelu - and she had bright chestnut hair!

Although Leelu has never been sick a day in her life, she's been plagued by freak accidents: she has cut open her front feet twice, both times deep enough to expose the tendon. She fell down and hit the side of her head so hard, that she had concussion, and burst both the eyelids of her right eye, and we were rather worried that that eye might have sustained permanent damage, but thankfully it hasn't. Then of course she broke her right front leg, was out of work for 6 months, but now has 4 100% legs!

Leelu is a real darling, and a wonderful character: she's playful and very clever and a lot of fun to be around. She has wonderful paces, with brilliant movement, and I realize fully that I am the limiting factor in our partnership. Luckily I'm taking proper lessons now, so hopefully we'll still improve on that area! Although she was bought as a dressage prospect, she also jumps, and never stops, which is brilliant considering that her rider is a rather reluctant jumper, to say the least. I have also recently been persuaded to enter her in showing, and the judges loved her, commenting on her good looks and conformation, and her absolute suitability as a show hack. So from here onwards, we'll be concentrating on dressage and showing, with maybe a little equitation just for fun.

Wish us luck!