SPLOTLIGHT
ON…
CHEEKY CHARLIE
Written
By: Elena (aka Chatsworth Chatter)
13
yrs old Cheeky Charlie with her Connermara pony Quincey at a
jumping
event
I had the
opportunity to banter with Cheeky Charlie aka Michelle Sheets.
What a lovely, awesome person – and
certainly worthy of this article space. I plucked her out of
this internet crowd
and asked for permission to fire a whole bunch of questions at
her, which she eagerly answered. So read on and let this article
serve as your introduction to Cheeky Charlie.
Encouraged by her grandmother at the barely ripe
age of 7, Cheeky Charlie and her sister embarked on the world
of horses which
eventually turned into the world, she and her family would live
in for the rest of their lives. “My Grandmother thought
it was a good idea to get my sister and I involved with horses.”
Good ponies and bad ponies turned into a need
for bigger horses for specific riding goals – these are things every little
horse girls’ childhood are made of.
Cheeky grew up in Ireland and had the great fortune
of an area rich in culture and education. Some aspects of horse
care, the
sport at large and riding differ from area to area; region to
region; and country to country, and I was intrigued to know more. “I
grew up in Ireland, Co.Down, where the number of horses outnumbered
the number of people. Most people in the area did Hunter Jumper
in the summer or Working Hunter as it is called over there, and
there is a big horse racing industry.”
Her job out of High School was at a racing barn
as a working student. There Michelle formed relationships with
people that
she still keeps in touch with today. Cheeky then went to work
for Hunt Rider, a wealthy man who had 20 horses and hunted 2-3
days a week. Michelle did everything from exercise the horses,
have them ready for him and his family, and instructing his wife
and children to ride. The horses were mostly Irish Sport horses.
She had a great time and at one time or another in life we all
find out how disposable we are. Her boss decided to buy an entire
team of Polo Ponies and matching Argintinian riders – hence,
the end of THAT job. Then onto something different in working
for a show barn and if that wasn’t busy enough, Cheeky
obtained her certification to teach, and also her certification
in Equine Sports Massage Therapy.
Cheeky Charlie riding Olar Lady, a Point
to Point mare she trained.
In comparing horse worlds of Ireland and the
US, the most noticeable differences were in the ages horses
are started to train in Ireland
and the US and some of the harder disciplinary methods sometimes
used to that end in the U.S. In Ireland horses are typically
started around 3 to 3 ½ years of age to USA’s yearlings
and the starting methods are very different. With this in mind,
American Futurity classes are challenging for not just the native
Irish but many to understand.
I asked Michelle/ Cheeky to talk about her all
time favorite horse and here’s what she said,” That would be Lady.
She was my neighbor’s horse in Ireland. She was half Irish
Draft and half TB, 16.2hh. I remember her as a playful 3 yr old
in the field, then my neighbor, Kenny, broke her to ride. Lady
was his Hunter and I would hack out with him on my pony. She
was always a handful, snorting and spooking all over the place
and I thought I could never ride a horse like that. Then many
years later, Lady was about 17 yrs old, Kenny asked me if I would
like to ride Lady and Hunt her, as he didn’t have the time
for her anymore. I jumped at the chance and started out hacking
her on the roads and jumping her in the fields. If you didn’t
let her go at a flat out gallop to the fence, she would stop
dead, that was all she knew. I would gallop all over with her,
jumping hedges and ditches like it was nothing. I'll never forget
my first Hunt of the season on her. I was just a passenger and
terrified. Flat out she went and jumped the first hedge from
about 10ft away and jumped me clean out of the saddle. Kenny
warned me she would do that. I got back on and was ready for
it the next time. Then I remember galloping down a hill with
a very wide ditch at the bottom, it was about 10 ft wide filled
with water, and there was some horses stopped and the riders
were try to get them to jump over it. I yelled at them to "move
out of the way!" as Lady had no notion of stopping, up and
over she flew, I looked back and you should have seen the look
on the faces of the other riders, they were in shock, she never
missed a step."
Olar Lady,
getting ready to set off on a Hunt.
Michelle most admires her Father for his support, humor and
understanding of every thing horses, and her crazy teanage years.
Here’s one of my favorite questions to ask: IF YOU COULD
RIDE ONE RENOWNED, LEGENDARY, OR FAMOUS HORSE, WHO WOULD IT BE
AND WHY? Cheeky Charlie had THIS to say, ”The horse I would
choose is now passed away. He was called Ryan's Son, owned and
ridden by John Whitaker,a very well known show jumper in England.
He was an Irish Sport horse and had lots of personality. He was
always unbeatable in the ring, and at the end of his round when
the crowd would applause, he would put in a huge buck. I did
get to meet him in person at the Royal Dublin Horse show 1 year,
he was so amazing to watch.”
Today, Cheeky Charlie lives in South Jersey with
her husband, daughter and 9 horses – some of which are boarders and
in training. She stays at home with her daughter and revels in
the opportunity to be a stay-at-home-hands-on-Mom yet still working
with horses. Her husband is very supportive of Michelle’s
horse-habit-passion-drive-need, helps her around the farm a great
deal, and enjoys an occasional romantic ride into the sunset.
Not bad! Cheeky JUNIOR is a chip off the old block and horse
crazy like her Mom, as we’ve all seen from the myriad of
horses Michele tosses her up on with that never-waivering grin!
Michelle doesn’t push horses on her though, a fatal mistake
many a horsewoman has made with disastrous results. The choice
to be horsenuts is her own.
Charlie as a foal
Cheeky Charlie's daughter on her current horse, Charlie
One day we’re here and years from now we’ll all
be gone. Imagine years down the road being the topic of conversation
of the next generation of horse people in your area or discipline.
What would they say about you? I asked Michele how she wanted
to be remembered. She said simply, her wish is to be remembered
as a horse lover and someone who did right by her horses. Well
said Michele! Doesn’t have to be any more complicated than
that. AND THAT folks… is www.nj-horse.com’s very
own CHEEKY CHARLIE!
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a great place to meet
