Hi!

My name is Erin Sarsfield. I am a nineteen year old from Carleton Place, Ontario Canada. I would like to tell you about someone I really think you should consider to be an Angel, as she truly is, in every sense of the word.

Ms. Kristine Carroll, from Bainbridge, Washington, USA created a website for horselovers, as it was one of the first on the internet 4 years ago. Horse Country <www.horse-country.com>has developed since then into one of the most popular sites on the internet, citing 1.3+million "hits" in 1997.

Horse Country started with the Junior Riders Journal (JRJ). An email digest for young horse lovers from all over the world. We have been through a lot. Everyone appreciates all input, how big or small. One of the bigger situations which was encountered was the death of my young warmblood dressage horse,<a href=http://www.horse-country.com/jrwelfare.html> Gallie</a>. Jriders all provided me with support, and created a memorial fund at the <a href=http://www.erc.on.ca/gallie.html>Equine Research Centre</a>.

Within the lives of kids growing up in the 90s there’s the other stuff, the family problems, school problems, peer pressure, drugs, alcohol, suicides etc. Friendships have formed which in turn become ears for listening during trying times in everyone’s life. The learning opportunities are endless with horse country. From technology skills, to social interaction, time management <school, horses, computer>, respect, tolerance. Another unique feature of HC, is the HC Rules committee. We are a committee comprised of the most responsible, people for each respective game, and digest. We mainly deal in conflict resolution, copyright infrigements, and behaviour (cooperation). I could go on and on, but the list is endless.

Sadly now, Horse Country is coming to an end. Kris gave up her full time job, her horse fund, her time, energy, and herself for Horse Country. The cyberbarn games are closing in less than 2 weeks, on August 15, 1998, and the Jriders Digest will soon follow. We would like 5 or 6 of us to be able to thank our angel in person. There has been one group of us who have been together for the last 3 years, we are the senior players, the moderators, the "graduating players", the wise, the respected. Our friendships will last forever, even though we have never met in person. I believe we truly represent what Kris has aimed to achieve with Horse Country. Young women, heading out into the real world, with a technological advantage, achievable dreams, with a wide array of experience behind them. Marjorie Deacon and I have created a webpage with a further explanation J

http://geocities.datacellar.net/Nashville/Opry/3897/angel.html

This page is just a sample of some of the nearly one hundred letters we have received from some long time players, to those who have only been around for a few months. Please consider Kristine Carroll as an Angel, as she truly is.

Thank you very much and Yours Truly, Erin Sarsfield

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