( CHARLIE AVENT ) ‘A’ is for ‘Auntie’
Charlie Avent By Charley Snowdon
Charley Snowdon travels to Gloucestershire to meet a very special, inspiring man and his best friend Auntie…
first heard of Charlie Avent and his horse Auntie on a shared BBC video where he talks openly about how horses literally saved his life. “When I was growing up autism was a very scary thing that people didn’t have a clue about. I was getting bullied at school and it had got to the point that I was plotting to end my life”, says Charlie. “That was of course until I met Oscar, a big bay thoroughbred that changed the way I look at things.” Charlie found a guide in Oscar and in his words, ‘had finally found someone that spoke his language in an otherwise very isolated world.’ Charlie started riding at the age of four at his local
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RDA where his mother volunteered. “I didn’t like the traditional riding school approach”, says Charlie. “I strived to do things my own way, but it wasn’t until later that I finally got that freedom.” Charlie also holidayed with his Mother in Dartmoor
where he would ride Joker, an ex RDA pony. “He was a real sweetie pie”, recalls Charlie fondly. “I even had a couple of absent seizures whilst riding him, but no one noticed because he looked aſter me so well.” Charlie attended the specialist education college, Ruskin Mill where he met his saviour Oscar and enjoyed many of the college rides. “Even though I was extremely grateful to be able to ride the college horses I still strived to achieve my own goal of owning and forming a bond with my own horse”, says Charlie.” The classical riding club including Heather
“When I was-
growing up autism was a very scary thing that people didn’t have a clue about. I was
geting bulied at schol and it had got to the point
that I was ploting to end my life”
Moffett went on a mission to find me the perfect horse. They all knew that my future horse had to be safe, sensible and weight bearing.” When Charlie gets excited it can be expressed by
‘stimming’, a stereotypic behaviour in autism that causes Charlie to flap his hands. “It’s just a thing I do”, states a matter of fact Charlie. “I’m fine about it but I knew I needed a very tolerant horse.” The search for the perfect partner ended in Kent
where Charlie found Auntie, and Auntie found Charlie. “I saved up and bought her myself, and she turned out to be the best buy ever! Auntie and my friend even won the Horse Back Archery National Championships 2017!”, beams a stimming Charlie. “Horseback archery is the coolest thing ever! It’s like the Lord of the Rings but twice as cool because it’s real!” Today at 31 years old, Charlie’s passion lies in Natural
Horsemanship and the partnership have even featured on Horse & Country television alongside Monty Roberts. “I get my joy playing with horses at liberty and having fun with them”, says Charlie. “I like doing absolutely crazy things like getting on Auntie
64 JULY/AUGUST 2019 For the latest news visit
www.centralhorsenews.co.uk
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