Any 'under-dog' success stories??? (having a bit of a down day)

Thanks everyone... I really appreciate all of the posts
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I went for a lesson today on Grace, and although we only got her working long and low and in balance (she has come back a bit back on herself since the abscess and quite stressed out about things) I looked in the mirror on the short side and watched her trot... I thought I could see a lot of potential in it, so I am going to go to the competition on Saturday and see how we get on after a month or so off, and will then decide about the Areas.

Thank you again...

Rebecca x
 
The Mr President story has made me stop being a complete negative ninny and get on with it... it shows that a £2,500 horse can go to Grand Prix, and if Grace and I do not even get close, we'll give it a damn good go and have a ball doing it
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I know its not the same but I paid £900 for Axey as a yearling and he won both his classes at the PBA and AA UK championships as a 3 year old beating lots of much more expensive horses.
I still call him my scruffy grey pony tho
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What about Lenamore, went to the WEG last year as part of New Zealands event team, just came 2nd at Gatcombe, owners bought him for meat money.
 
Do you know I was having a very similar conversation with seahorse today.
I paid £3000 for Alee as a 2 year old as I thought her paces were great and really got caught up in the hole horse buying game. I love Alee to bits but looking back when they loose schooled her in deep sand which obviously is going to make her paces that much more elevated. Her paces now don't look half as good and I am beginning to wonder if she will be up to the job next year when she will be 4. Like many others have said though the main thing in dressage is a well ridden accurate test. You also need to look at how far you want to go. If you are aiming for grande prix then maybe she's not right. I love the look of your horse and only hope that Alee turns out to be half the horse Grace is just remember what you have come through with her. At least you can stand up and say 'I did that' where as a lot of the £15000 horses are already schooled to that level. Chin up Becki.
 
Thanks DieselDog...

I am not usually a negative person, but just a few things that have happened recently have really got to me and made me think about what I am doing and what I hope to achieve. Grace now has 5 BD points from her first two novice tests and that is just four months after she started competing.
 
My mum paid £300 for Shadow as a foal but to us she's priceless and I'm sure most of the horses we compete against (and sometimes beat) cost much more. IMO correct training and a willing attitude are more important than flashy paces and a high price. It's easy to feel down about how well others are doing on their expensive horses but look at what you've already achieved and it's so much more rewarding when you know it's down to your hard work. Grace's results speak for themselves and she's a real credit to you.
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I brought Liberty, knowing she'd been off the forest for £30, hadn't been out her field, barely halter broken, I brought her for £800 as four year old after I found out she was registered with very decent lines. Rebroke her and discovered her lovely jump, she was 13.3hh. A year later when I moved to horses I sold her for £3500 as a showjumping pony clearing 1.20m at home.

Dermot I brougth for £2500 thought the seller had brougth him cheap for £5250 six weeks earlier but he just bucked there riders off...Rebroke him...He would of been such a cracking little horse.

My 'under-dog' stroy would be my friends pony she brought for £1500, 9 year old, 14.2hh, Connie, with about £80 BSJA, did unaffilated for two years now affilated him and now got £180 so JC and selling him for 10k...!
 
Rosie cost me £500 as a 2yr old.

I bought her with the hope and intention of one day doing Riding Club Novice Teams and the dream: to be capable of doing 2ft 9" ODE's as I'd never owned a horse that would do both XC and SJ.

Rosie has surpassed all my expectations as she's in her 3rd season of doing BE PN's, has won just over £200 in BSJA and was 1st reserve Champ at the Trailblazers SJ champs one year.

I've no desire to go any further height-wise in SJ or eventing and I'm sure neither has she. We go out and have fun.

She's just over 14.2hh and a Welsh Cob, so not everyones' cup of tea and I have put up with a lot of stick from various quarters over the years that as a 5ft 7" adult 'isn't it time I sold my pony and bought myself a horse'!!

Well no! Rosie and I are having the life-o-riley.

She's 14yrs now and has just come 3rd in the RC's Intermediate Horse Trials Champs.

There's much more satisfaction in producing and winning on something you've made yourself I think. if you can afford £15k then go for it, but I can't.

Have just bought my next 'best friend', another 2yr old Welsh mare, for when Rosie needs to slow down and/or hang up her brushing boots! But she's going nowhere other than retirement in my field, but that's a long way off I hope.
 
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