............and how did you come by your current horse/s?

Firehorse

Firehorse

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 September 2008
Messages
1,124
Location
sunny and cold sussex
Visit site
mine was in response to a wanted ad in horsemart. reading something like family pony wanted. minimum 13.2hh. suitable for novice children to ride etc, and mum to hve fun on.

they emailed me with his details. i was due to go to new forest to view a few before i could see him, but i already had a feeling about him. and after seeing the others, i was proved right!
 
Honey - My friend was a dealer at the time and she i went to look at Honeys foal for sale and fell in love with Honey :D

Mysti - Was considering getting a companion for Hon as she could see other horses but she didnt like being on her own and Mysti was advertised in the local tack shop that day and i never looked back :)
 
Went with my riding instructor to her training, saw one of his horses over the door, fell in love and bought....... safe to say the biggest mistake of my life!! Been offered a full refund and send the horse back but cant for his sakes or other peoples and the guy that sold him to me is horrid. Its a very, very long story!!
 
Well i was horse hunting for a few weeks, found a nice horse but they were time wasters.
I absolutely DIDNT want a bay/brown horse, Arab, or TB, but all the adverts i looked at were out of my budget :( so i thought....Heck....ill look at TBs, saw an advert of Lady, fell in love straight away, rang up and arranged a viewing. 4 hours drive later, met my perfect horse :)
Shes a bay TB x Arab so i Ended up getting everything i didnt want in a horse but couldnt of got anything more perfect :)
 
Fist pony was a wanted add in local; freadds
Our Flicka came to our RS as a winter working livery, my RS said 'this one will be for sale come the spring' and lo she was.
Companion pony Honey was gifted to us when our RS closed.
Denise came from WHW
Almera we spotted in the adds over there>>>>>
my daughter had actualy given up looking for a horse, but she was local, we looked, we loved!
 
Vardi

I had 3 months previously had a major crash and broken all sorts of bones ejecting myself from a bolting loan horse.

I had only been in Holland 6 months and my OH (obviously determined to keep me here) was encouraging me to go and look at horses. To appease him I dragged myself off to look at 3 or 4 (complete with crutches and cast) but to be honest was not in the right frame of mind, so decided I was going to give it a rest for a year and see how I felt then.

OH obviously had other ideas and went off with a friend of his and came back with a 3 year old unbacked Appaloosa/WB and said "I really like him he seems a really cool dude"

At the time I was I admit totally horrified as I did not even have the strength to lead him.

But nearly 3 years on he has indeed turned into a "Really Cool Dude" so my non horsey OH got it totally right......luckily :-))

I have of course had a lot of help and support both from OH and my fantastic trainers and YO's Jan and Bri.
 
First pony: saw advert and went to try out one horse, saw the other and it was love at first sight. A real little cracker, bless him, dapple grey and every child's dream. Horse in a zillion. You could have put a toddler on his back and trusted him to ride through the centre of a busy town quite happily.

Next one (first horse): friend's partner worked at a riding school and they were downsizing, so because they didn't know what to do with him shoved him in my paddock along with friend's other horse. I went out the next morning and saw the most gorgeous horse I'd ever seen looking over the gate - and he was for sale! Whatta treasure. Another horse in a zillion.

Current one: had him on winter loan from a trekking centre and he was basically so ugly somebody had to love him!!! Aw bless, he's not had it so easy in his life coz people haven't always been nice to him but hey we get along fine. I love him to bits and he looks after me so well.
 
i wanted a cob type..... and i saw her on horsemart... warmblood x :D

just had that feeling and i had to go see her.... 24 hours later she was in a stable on the yard - :D
 
I was just looking for something to ride untill I find a horse to buy. Find him in the diamord add's paper looking for a rider as owner lived away didnt have enough time for him. I had him part loan then full and permant untill one day she said that she be happy to sign him over to me with everything he had. I was so happy and shocked that he would be mine and no one elses!! That was 10 years ago now. A lot of hard work and tears have been lostd though out our time together!! I think that what made his old owner mind up as he did have other rider's that give up on him so soon!! Im glad they did as I wouldnt of has him now. I did spend most of the first couple of years hitting the deck most days!!

I did want a 15-16hh coloud now Ive got a 17.1hh dark bay which I love dearly!!
 
He was advertised as a 4yr old bay16hh gelding, rang up and he was actually a grey tb who had done point to pointing, was told he jumped poles and was basically perfect. Went to see him, his feet were dreadful (overgrown and flared) was fine to ride around gallops but very lazy, felt sorry for him so bought the little bugger :p We soon discovered that he napped, reared, bucked, bites and has never seen a pole on the ground before and cant canter on one rein lmao but weve had him 3yrs and hes a changed horse :D
 
Current pony (Monkey)...

Dad bought him cheap as a potential driving pony, but he turned out to be terrified of everybody, a nightmare to catch, and particularly terrified of anything coming up behind him. Not ideal traits for a driving pony. Basically Dad turned him over to me because I get on well with ponies, and we've clicked, so he was my 21st birthday present! My instructor has taken us right back to basics, so fingers crossed we'll carry on bonding.
 
I was 6 months pregnant but already had a little section A pony youngster, I was buying some feed and happened to see a horse on the notice board that I liked the look of. I couldn't stop thinking about him so I went back the next day and took the advert and photo down so no one else could buy him!
I really didn't want another horse but as soon as I showed the picture to my friends and OH they made me go and see him.
He was a yearling and at the stud where he was bred, I was shown his Dad, Mum and various sisters and brothers before I was shown Axel. I didn't like him to start with but once I saw him move I was smitten and my OH said we need to buy this horse!
When I got home I had a cheque for a tax rebate for the exact amount he cost, so I just had to buy him!
7 years later I still have him and he's a superstar :)
 
Was looking on Horsemart and had been for about 3 months. Had just been to see a grey TB that we really liked first time, took it out on the roads and it nearly went over backwards rearing! :eek: Back to the drawing board...saw one that looked fairly nice within budget from a dealer, saw Red from the same place, over budget and a bit older and taller than I wanted and chestnut...
Went to see them anyway, the bay bolted when the girl mounted, no thanks! :eek: Went to the stables to see Red, he was beautiful, lovely to watch with a trot to die for- I swear it nearly sent me into orbit! Jumped everything I pointed him at and we've been together for about 17months and have never looked back! :)
 
We had been horse hunting for a while, as i had grown out of my amazing 13'3 pony. I had only tried out 1 other horse, but livery yard owners who were much more knowledgable rang up people and went to see lots of other horses.
Went to my last ever hunter trial on my pony at highclear, and saw this add for him on board where they show the results. Rang up, went to try him out and ended up buying him. I didn't find him amazing when i first tried him, didn't have much umphh. We think old owners were scared of him as he can sometimes lower his head and charge off and there is nothing you can do to stop him. But soon after in a lesson, got him going, he has so much power! :D 5 years on i still have him, and just about to go to uni, but cannot sell him.
 
Saw an ad in Horsemart - loved the photo. Noticed it was close to where we live. Popped down to see him that evening with my daughters. He was a rescue case, so knew we couldn't try him, but we could tell my his liquid brown eyes that he was a dear sweet soul who needed a second chance.

Bought him the following day (probably very foolishly), and only tried him for the first time when the saddle fitter came. Could have gone either way, but he ended up being the best horse ever and every day I know we did the right thing by taking our chance with him. He'll do anything for us.

My other horse was sadly inherited from my very best friend who died suddenly earlier this year. My daughter rides him mainly, but there's no way I could see him be sold. He's such a sweetie :)
 
I'd been thinking about getting a horse for a few years, but hadn't done anything about it, I looked online and in magazines to see what sort of prices horses were going for these days, and when I went riding, I'd have a look at the horses on the yard, and took a shine to one particular ginger horse.

The horse I used to ride died following a bout of colic :( so I decided I'd buy myself a horse, I asked about livery at the yard and they'd a horse there that would suit me (I've been riding there for nearly 15 years, so they know me pretty well by now!), and it turned out to be the ginger horse I'd been drooling over all winter! I tried him out, liked him, and the rest as they say, is history! :D
 
Ballet: I was looking for a horse at the same time as my freind. Ballet's owners emailed her Dad about Ballet, sent all sorts of pictures, but freind decided she wouldn't be able to do the horse justice, sent it to me, and I bought her. :) 4 years later, both her and her parents often tell me how she wouldn't have coped, and how glad she is that she didn't buy the talented loon we now own. :D

Spanner: Was looking for a youngster, everything was too expensive in the UK, Dad knew a breeder in Ireland through work, we flew over, tried 8 horses in 2 days, came home, had Spanner shipped a couple of weeks later. :)
 
Herc; the previous owner (who was loverly) responded to a wanted add my mum had placed when we were selling our first horse. If I remember rightly he'd been bought for a friend who then fell pregnant and she wasn't too fussed about selling him as he was kept at home with her horse so she hadn't placed a for sale odd or anything, but responded to ours as he sounded like what we wanted (and he was)

Blue; He was a livery at the yard (they had 3) they gradually stopped coming down and sold the other 2, and eventually the YO bought him for her daughter, who did her usual and rode a load when she first got him and through the summer, but slowed down/stopped when she started to college. The YO then started to let me, my sister, and a few other people ride him when they needed an extra horse, and eventually loaned him out to a friend of a livery (she'd been threatening to loan/sell him for a while) and when the 2 i'd been looking after for her went back she approached the loaner as to whether she'd be ok with a part loan as she only came down a couple of times a week anyway. Any I now have a fab deal on a brill (i suppose :P) horse, with one of the best sharers I could wish for as she'll happily give up her days if I want to do something with him or have plans, and she enjoys it too as she (as a novice) gets to benefit from always having me and my sis on hand to help when she needs it. And she's said if she was ever in the position to buy him she'd still want to keep our arrangement :D (my sis like it too as she loves Blue to bits)
 
My arab...a friend has given us her shire horse and we needed a companion for him. Took the arab on loan. The shire died and we eneded up buying the arab.

Family pony..daughters father died. Daughter distraught. Bought the pony for daughter to love and help her get over losing her Dad. It worked.

Exmoor pony...went to the Exmoor pony sales with Ravenwood. Had no money or trailer, just having a day out. Canny Exmoor farmers make you go through the beer tent to get to the ringside, plying you with mind altering substance ( cider) as you pass through. Reached ringside with crossed eyes, wobbly knees and bidders number in hand..how did that get there? Watched in a sort of detached horrified way as my hand went up to bid for a foal (oh look someone is bidding...aaarrrgh it's me). Hammer goes down, bang, lot 41 sold to the lady with the crossed eyes.
 
I'd been to see quite a few and had whittled it down to a choice of 2, Jasper and Star. I was leaning more towards Jasper anyway, but then I went to get my hair done at a new place that had just opened. She had an accent that was "not from round these parts" and we got chatting, I said I'd been to see a horse near to where she was from. It turned out she used to go out with the boy that loaned him off his old owner so knew all about him! She was able to independently confirm all the stuff they'd told me about him. I'd never met her or had her do my hair before, and she and Jasper were from about 45 miles away, so what were the chances?!
I decided that fate had decided for me and the rest as they say is history!
 
I drove all the way from Worcestshire to Manchester in February this year, to see a coloured at a dealers yard. I was convinced she was going to be the 'right' horse for me. Of course she turned out to be a bit too much of a horse for me. I was very disappointed. My friend, who had travelled with me, persuaded me to look at this little, scruffy 14.2/3 lemon and white pony in the next stable. I reluctantly tried her as she was only 4, bought her and yesterday she made reserve champion at the local dressage championships!! She has turned out to be a really good buy and I love her to bits. :)
 
I had just lost my old boy, and my husband rang me at work to say he was coming to pick me up a little bit earlier and that we were going to look at an other horse, he was advertised on the horse hunter site, to cut a long story short, tried him fell in love with him, and brouhgt him home on the saturday. have had him nearly 12 month now and he has a old head on young shoulders, he is only eight but being an ex racer he take everything in his stride,I feel as thou I am riding a horse with a lot more experience.
 
Looked at horses, nearly bought the wrong one, was giving up hope, saw advert (in the AdTrader!), called, went to see her, fell in love after literally 30 seconds (no joke), even my mum rode her (very nervous at that time) so we went back with my instructor, who was only coming out to see the ones we were really serious about. She liked her, so we picked her up after her vetting the next week and didn't even discuss price - she was that much worth her weight in gold that we just handed over the asking price on the advert and drove off! :D

One of the best "things" I've ever bought.
 
Dancer from a dealer yard.
rowan I wanted something different as a project and saw his advert on horsemart. Fell in love, especially with spotty hearts on his bum and wen I went to see him he was just as laid back for a 2 year old as she described. Now I love him so much I would never sell him!
Lola I spotted an advert on relieved for two exmoor geldings. I rang up and he said for more info ring the breeder who happened to live 10 mins away and she said they had a filly for sale as well which I was looking for but exmoor fillies are so hard to come by.
 
I was looking for a horse on a small budget!! At the time I was clipping horses for a dealer when he said he had to go and pick a horse up that he had sold because the girl couldn't even get on it!! He bought him back and I thought he looks nice!! I asked his price but he was way out of my budget. Carried on clipping, tried a few from the yard but nothing grabbed me. The dealer then came in one day and said, I have put that horse in your stable for you to try!! I reminded him of my budget and he said just see how you get on!! Tried him and he was ok so bought him for my budget!! I reckon looking back he couldn't sell him so a bit of cash was better than nothing!! He has turned fab after a few hairy moments!!
 
Jacob (the black shire x in my sig) I saw trotting down the road one morning out of my bedroom window later that day I wandered down the village to ask the farmer if he was for sale and he was :D had him on trial for a week had him vetted and he was mine. Rose (the chestnut) is his half sister and I saw her when she was born and fell in love with her sovwhen I sold jake 3 yes later I bought her and she's turned out just as amazing as her brother
 
I have told this story soooo many times :D

I work at a racing yard and at the time had a friends pony on loan at a yard with only 3 stables, and one of the horses was up for sale. I was going to buy him as I thought he was quite nice and had ridden him a few times (so glad I didn't, 6 months on and he's chronically lame with no clue as to whats wrong!) Then whilst at work one day back in March the head lass told me that Ethel might be being given away and would be perfect for me. At that time, Ethel was small, weaved like hell and was crazy, I walked into her stable one day and was greeted by both hind feet very close to my face and thought, no way! Plus, she was a Thoroughbred and a mare :eek: (laid back cob geldings are more my thing :p ) Then someone pointed out that out of a racing environment on a quiet yard she would probably change, so I told them that if they were going to give her away, I'd have her. For a week after I said that I was given her every night to groom and just spent some time getting to know her, I was awlays the one the get her in and turn her out, and a week later I walked her down to her new home. My plan was to do a bit with her and then sell her quite quickly to make a bit of money. Now that will never happen, out of that busy environment she is the sweetest most laid back horse I know. She has her quirks, but what 3yo TB filly doesn't?! Love her to pieces :D

I then got Henry in April, so not long after I got Ethel, with a friend off a girl who we thought was genuine at the time, but we now think was a dealer. He has been sold and is going to his new home on Saturday :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top