About Christina

I have always had a love of animals, and since I could walk and talk I expressed it at every opportunity.  In fact I'm sure one of my first words was spoken as I tottered up to a paddock and pointed at the "horsie" behind the fence...  I grew up in rural England with a cat called Sugar, and an unerring desire to own a horse. I bugged my poor Mum for years to buy me a pony.  Despite finding the word 'horse' diligently written on her shopping list every week, she never relented.  I finally realised my dream of owning my own horse when I was 25 and bought my retired Standardbred, Tommy.

After some time working with horses in England and travelling in Europe, I came to Australia on a working holiday visa in 2000.  Half way through my travels I landed late at night on Hobart's little airstrip and almost instantly fell in love.  As I have since found out, Tasmania is just one of those places - it draws you in and it's hard to leave!  Nearly 10 years later and I am still here, living in Kingborough with my dog Jake, my cat Pesky and my two horses Fantasy and Tommy.

In 2005, after running a Backpacker Tourism business for four years, it was time for a change, and time to evaluate what it is that I really wanted to do in life.  I came back to my love of animals, and it was at this time that I established At Home Pet SItters, with my good friend Alexandra.  However, it soon became clear that Alexandra's life (with 4 children and many horses) was too hectic to continue on in the business.  Hence I took on the sole running of At Home Pet Sitters in 2006.  It has been a fantastic experience, and the business now employs 15 pet sitters and has several hundred clients.

At the same time as starting At Home Pet Sitters, I founded the Australian Equine Welfare Association.  This was the culmination of many years of thought as to how I could give something back to the horses who had given me so much pleasure over the years.   Four years on and the organisation is going strong with over 130 members Australia-wide and a number of great projects planned for 2009/2010.  To read more about how you can get involved with our work, please visit us here.

The Animal Family

Picked up as a stray in South Hobart, Jake spent three months at the Dog's Home before he captured my heart.  I first saw his face through the bars of a kennel, with his nose pressed to the wire, trying to lick my hand.  It was love at first sight.  Jake has been with me for nearly five years now and is never far from my side.  He is getting quite famous, having been in the Mercury twice, and was the cover dog on the Dog's Home Calendar in 2006.  He has cemented his fame by being the face of At Home Pet Sitters, appearing on our business cards, notepads and fridge magnets.  He lives on my desktop and in my heart, and he's the best dog in the world.

Tommy came to me just over a year ago in poor condition and with an attitude problem.  He also came with physical and emotional scars from a past that I know very little about.  He has always had his problems, including a tendency to get skin conditons and resitricted movement in his hindquarters.  After taking him slowly, Tom enjoyed a season of light trail riding last summer before having more major back end problems that prevented him from being ridden.  After extensive research and trying many different things, it turns out that Tommy was allergic to grain.  So he now gets a no-grain diet and is on supplementary herbs.  These have done him the world of good and he is such a happier horse.  He currently lives a life of leisure in the paddock as a companion to Fanny.

Tom has changed immeasurably in the last year, and from a rocky start, we now have a great relationship.  He was the very first horse I could call my own and therefore the fulfillment of a long held dream.  He will have a home with me forever.

Fantasy, affectionaly known as 'Fanny'

Fanny was the horse that never should have been!  I was earnestly trying my best to have a horse free year to concentrate on my business and to "save some money".  Then I went along to give a talk at a riding club and casually mentioned that I would like to get into endurance riding....  Within 5 days I met Fantasy at her owners property and promptly fell in love.  She is the sweetest horse I have ever met.  She is on long term lease to me, and although I think of her as my own, one day I will have to give her back.  She has been my first experience of working with a young horse, and has been a great teacher.  She is an awesome little horse who I am very close to, and I hope to have a lot of fun with her over the next few years.

Update: Fantasy's owner decided to sell her to me in mid-2009, a very special day.  I feel so lucky to have this horse 'own me'.