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Dear Stan,I have just finished Asma Salman's article on the cost of riding in Bahrain in GulfWeekly. I enjoyed the content but I feel I must take you to task for not mentioning Shakhoora Riding centre in your list of riding establishments providing excellent facilites for both horse and rider on the island.

Shakhoora (which means King of Horses') Riding Centre is situated directly opposite the BSPCA and is one of the most professionally run riding establishments on the island.

It is the only riding centre on the island that is run by a highly qualified, professional Bahrani woman Samia Al Saffar.

Samia trained in the UK and then returned to the island to impart her love and knowledge of all things equestrian to the many and varied clientele that have passed through the ever open 'stable door'.

We are constantly reminded that we should champion Bahraini women who take up the challenge and show the world just what they are capable of in the workplace. Samia completely fits this profile.

A visit to the stables will soon show you that it is run in a highly professional manner, where the welfare of both horse and rider is of paramount importance. As a livery yard it is difficult to beat and those of us who are lucky enough to keep our precious horses and ponies there are more than satisfied.

We are so fortunate that here in Bahrain we are able to own and ride horses that we would only dream of owning elsewhere in the world, we are doubly fortunate to have in Samia somebody who has the skill and expertise to enable us to 'live' our equestrian dreams to the fullest.

I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to come and visit, meet Samia and see for yourself what a great job she is doing ... you will be sure of a warm welcome.

Trish Fryer,

livery owner

and aspiring

rider, Shakhoora

Riding Centre.

Editor's note: We certainly will. Look out for Samia's story in a future edition of GulfWeekly.

Dear Stan,

This refers to the article 'Eco alert for our schools' by Anasuya Kesavan.

Introducing eco-education in school curriculums is a wise decision.

Youngsters should be aware of their surroundings, know how nature works and how to live with it.

These days in India one can find many schools having the 'environment' as one of their subjects.

Students are taught and made aware about plants, animals, the eco-system and all about nature. However, now is the time for every school to make it compulsory around the world, especially at high school level.

I remember during my school days one hour in our school time-table was dedicated activities such as painting, music and paper cutting. Gardening was also one of them and we planted a few tree saplings in our school premises.

We have to preserve and maintain this Mother Earth. Here, I recollect a popular adage which goes: 'We have not inherited this world from our forefathers but borrowed it from out children'.

Therefore, let us handover this earth to our children intact.

Seturam Aspari,

Adliya