Meet a Globetrotter: Christine Kerr
Craig’s Hut & High Country Ride, Australia , The Margaret River Ride, Australia , The Camargue Ride, France
I think it’s safe to say that globetrotter Christine Kerr is horse mad! After all, when she married her husband she made it very clear he was marrying both Christine AND her horse. We caught up with Christine to discover exactly what it is about horse riding holidays that she finds so addictive.
What is your day job?
I’m retired.
How have horses influenced or changed your life?
I have always loved horses. I didn’t get a horse until I was 15 years old. My uncle bought him for me and paid for his keep until I started to work at 16, then I took over! When I married my husband seven years later, it was me and my horse!
I had that horse for another 10 years. I suffered badly from his passing and didn’t ride for a couple of years. I finally bought a pony for my children when we moved from Sydney to the country. Having space then, I managed to collect several more and then bred some beautiful animals of my own. I live and breathe horses!
What is your earliest memory of horses?
Probably my first memory was the photograph on my nanna’s wall of my grandfather on his horse Wadge, from the Light Horse Brigade.
When I was only six years old we went to live in Charleville in south west Queensland. Although we lived in town, I had friends from school who lived on large properties. I stayed with them in the holidays and rode horses, rounding up sheep, etc.
What was your childhood pony called?
Sultan.
What does riding or being with horses mean to you?
They are my life!
What have horses taught you the most?
Patience, compassion, love… and how to care for and think about something other than myself – they always come first!
What was your first Globetrotting ride?
The Craig’s Hut and High Country Ride in Victoria, Australia.
What made you take the plunge and sign up for a Globetrotting holiday?
I got sick of asking people to join me and decided to do it alone.
Have any of your Globetrotting rides celebrated or marked a significant moment/milestone/achievement in your life? If so, would you mind sharing?
Most of my rides have been around my birthday but the most significant one has to be The Camargue Ride in France in November 2019. This was a late birthday present from my gorgeous husband of 47 years, for my 70th birthday, in March 2019. Pete didn’t join me on the ride (he is a motorbike rider) but we spent the following two weeks travelling through the wonderful Alps in France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria and Germany.
What Globetrotting rides have you since completed/planned/dreamed about?
I have completed three rides since the Craig’s Hut and High Country Ride. I did The Margaret River Ride in Western Australia in 2018 with my daughter, Mel, and our good friend, Jude.
In June 2019, Mel and I did Globetrotting holiday with Jude (84) and Jude’s family and friends for her birthday. Then in November 2019, I rode in the Camargue in France.
I am booked to ride in Glenorchy, New Zealand in November 2020, this time with both my daughters, Mel and Tam.
I have dreams of riding in Argentina. This has been a long term dream, but to date beyond my budget!
What is your most memorable Globetrotting moment?
All the rides have been memorable, but The Margaret River Ride was my most memorable moment. Mel and I flew to Perth, then drove 2 hours south and picked up our wonderful then-83-year-old friend, Jude, and drove on to Margaret River. The time spent there riding with Jude was amazing. Jude is a brilliant horsewoman and we had some fantastic riding on Paul and Fiona’s wonderful horses.
Why choose this type of travel? As in exploring a new country from the back of a horse?
There’s no better way to see the country than from the back of a horse. The best way to meet the local people and share their part of the world.
A tip that every globetrotter should know before going on a ride…
Be fit. I am a very fit person, attending a boot camp three days a week and riding four or five days a week. So I enjoyed riding all day and staying up late around the campfire at night.
Also, be truthful about your riding ability. It is not only beneficial to you in getting a suitable mount but also to the wonderful ride partners (they are extremely good at matching horses with riders).
Finish this sentence – Don’t leave home without…
An open mind and a sense of adventure. And your helmet!
Thanks so much to Christine for these amazing insights into the life and times of a globetrotter!