Ranyhyn
Well-Known Member
Yesterday Ed and I celebrated our one year friend-versary ( I can't call it an ownerversary as I'm still unclear as to who owns who yet
)
It has been the best horsey year of my life, having made quite a few mount 'faux-pas' in the past I wasn't really looking for another horse, but Project Horses sucked me in one day and I started browsing the 16hh+ selection. One ad stuck out to me and I went back to it over a few days, wondering if I was the right person for this horse. I ended up sending a cursory email to his owner and we started chatting, soon it came to light we'd be perfect for each other and his owner gave me the opportunity to trial him and buy him. She was nothing but clear from the start, Ed had issues, stemming from a bad past which has soured his personality and made him fear aggressive, by some luck, I decided to take my chance and see if we could work together.
On the 17th Dec 2008 I watched a malborough box pull into the yard and drop the ramp, and in there stood a hairy, snorting warhorse creature and it was love at first sight (or bite
) He followed me sweetly to have his rug put on and to be turned out for the night and I went home feeling disproportionately pleased with myself, that pyscho evil horse was quite easy really.
The next few weeks were spent breaking down my previous smugness, he bit me, he rolled his eyes, he snorted and grit his teeth and stamped and rushed and I carried on with the kind of ambivalence that only the clinically insance posess!
When he first arrived - yetti aberdeen angus bear
I started him off slowly, getting to know him, his owner had told me he was faultlessly safe when on board and he proved to be an awesome hack, taking interest in his surroundings but never putting a hoof out of place. We spent the freezing cold winter exploring the countryside and learning to live with each other.
A group of friends and I at the yard decided we'd have a go at jumping in the paddock one night, so 4 of us all jumped on and put some fences up. That was the day I learnt to hold on
and the day the kids learnt the F word
I had never sat on something that loved to jump like this horse did, within about 5 minutes everyone had jumped on and had a go, inclduing the mum of one of the kids, who hadn't jumped in years. Ed jumps everything a foot more than he has to, but he never fills you with anything other than exhilleration as he pops over things!
Shortly after I decided to move Ed to a yard with lots more facilities and better turnout. Sadly during the excitement of the move, I became complacent and forgot exactly what this horse was like, he rewarded my stupidity with this. Yes, thats a bite mark
He got clipped )badly) by me
Safe to say I have never been that stupid again, Ed will never forget the awful things he's been through, I don't believe such a nice horse in all other respects, gets this way from anything other than brutality from humans.
We spent the summer riding out and not doing much and sadly, through more complacency on my part, I let him get too fat and we nearly had a run in with laminitis so he went on box rest and will stay on a restricted diet for the rest of his days
him
me!!
His thoughts on box rest
Too tubby
Finally at the end of summer he was getting fit and trim enough for me to think about playing around with him so here's a few pics.
And winter pics
He's still very moody, there isn't a day that goes by that his face doesnt get shoved into mine or i get a rolled eye or lifted leg - but I live happilly with that - i have never had a better horse, so finally after looking and searching for years, it turns out my perfect horse found me, only he wasn't perfect on the tin (a lesson there maybe?)
I wouldn't change him for the world, every moody, evil inch of him. I love him to bits and am happy to say I have my 'forever' horse.
It has been the best horsey year of my life, having made quite a few mount 'faux-pas' in the past I wasn't really looking for another horse, but Project Horses sucked me in one day and I started browsing the 16hh+ selection. One ad stuck out to me and I went back to it over a few days, wondering if I was the right person for this horse. I ended up sending a cursory email to his owner and we started chatting, soon it came to light we'd be perfect for each other and his owner gave me the opportunity to trial him and buy him. She was nothing but clear from the start, Ed had issues, stemming from a bad past which has soured his personality and made him fear aggressive, by some luck, I decided to take my chance and see if we could work together.
On the 17th Dec 2008 I watched a malborough box pull into the yard and drop the ramp, and in there stood a hairy, snorting warhorse creature and it was love at first sight (or bite
The next few weeks were spent breaking down my previous smugness, he bit me, he rolled his eyes, he snorted and grit his teeth and stamped and rushed and I carried on with the kind of ambivalence that only the clinically insance posess!
When he first arrived - yetti aberdeen angus bear
I started him off slowly, getting to know him, his owner had told me he was faultlessly safe when on board and he proved to be an awesome hack, taking interest in his surroundings but never putting a hoof out of place. We spent the freezing cold winter exploring the countryside and learning to live with each other.
A group of friends and I at the yard decided we'd have a go at jumping in the paddock one night, so 4 of us all jumped on and put some fences up. That was the day I learnt to hold on
Shortly after I decided to move Ed to a yard with lots more facilities and better turnout. Sadly during the excitement of the move, I became complacent and forgot exactly what this horse was like, he rewarded my stupidity with this. Yes, thats a bite mark
He got clipped )badly) by me
Safe to say I have never been that stupid again, Ed will never forget the awful things he's been through, I don't believe such a nice horse in all other respects, gets this way from anything other than brutality from humans.
We spent the summer riding out and not doing much and sadly, through more complacency on my part, I let him get too fat and we nearly had a run in with laminitis so he went on box rest and will stay on a restricted diet for the rest of his days
His thoughts on box rest
Too tubby
Finally at the end of summer he was getting fit and trim enough for me to think about playing around with him so here's a few pics.
And winter pics
He's still very moody, there isn't a day that goes by that his face doesnt get shoved into mine or i get a rolled eye or lifted leg - but I live happilly with that - i have never had a better horse, so finally after looking and searching for years, it turns out my perfect horse found me, only he wasn't perfect on the tin (a lesson there maybe?)
I wouldn't change him for the world, every moody, evil inch of him. I love him to bits and am happy to say I have my 'forever' horse.
