Anyone else appreciate their ‘easy’ horses?

[JoBo]

Both my boys are ‘easy’ horses, they don’t chuck themselves about, turn themselves inside out and are quite comfortable in their own skins.
I can chuck them in the horse box on my own, no worries, no stress and go and do what I like.

The number of times I sit and watch at a show and see some stunning but un-hinged horse turning itself inside out, and think ‘ that goad I’m not sitting on that’.

Some would say this is boring (like the girl I work with who has a compete fruit loop WB, but funny enough rides very tight and won’t jump).
But I like an easy life and a horse I feel completely safe on! I get my rushes out of going fast and jumping not from sitting on something that I feel could dump me at any moment.

So what about you, are you the same, or do you think having an ‘easy’ horse would be just way too boring?

 

[ester]

yes!

I love my do anything go anywhere pone

he spices it up occasionally but rarely bucks and only does bunny hops thinking about it but wouldn't be able to rear if he tried.

 

[flowerlady]

Oh I so agree with you on that one

 

[clairefeekerry1]

hell yes, i struggled for 4 years with a difficult horse and now have a very very easy one, wouldn't change back for the world. bathed him today, took all of 25 mins as he stands like a rock, even hosed his face!! my old horse would constantly be rearing/standing on my feet/nipping me if i tried to bath!!

 

[spaxkoni]

I too have an "easy" horse.I can take him anywhere, the beach,forest , open fields or to a show and I'm confident that he will not be silly or difficult to handle or ride. He loads every time to go home and I enjoy every minute of being with him!! Life is too short to have a battle, arguement or risk being injured so I'm VERY happy with my boy.

 

[scrumpygus]

Ive got 2 easy horses but they're only easy after lots of work and patience! They are both absolute angels and i often ride other people 'difficult' horses and it makes me appreciate mine sooo much more! Im so lucky!

 

[lauradarita]

I totally agree. Some people think that easy horses must be lazy and incapable of doing anything. My friend owns one of the easiest horses on the planet but he is sooo talented. He is a pleasure to ride, forward going, responsive and has amazing movement, yet a baby could hack him out and turn him out. An easy horse isnt a boring horse in my opinion.

 

[WeeBrown]

I'd have safe and sane anyday over flashy and daft.
I suppose some people would think I have one of each as my mare can be slightly silly at times as she is still green and not done much. On my first yard I had people saying she was dangerous - was more a case of new, numpty owner though! Now she is fine, she'll still have her moments - she unseated my OH the other week when a horse cantered behind her and she spun to see what it was - but she never does anything nasty.
My cob gelding is very safe and I'd trust him with everyone except maybe a total beginner - even them if on the leadrein. He is forward going and can spook but a flick with the whip gently and he's off again in a sensible manner. At the minute I do different things with both - dressage with mare and jumping/hacking with cob. This is mainly due to mare still learning so I probably would be a bit bored if one or the other went. However this is only because they fill the gaps for eachother just now - in a years time when cob is better schooled and mare has seen more they'll be interchangeable. Both are going no where anyway and have a home with me for life!

 

[JoBo]

[ QUOTE ]
An easy horse isnt a boring horse in my opinion.


[/ QUOTE ]
That’s exactly what I think!!!!!! After all I do everything on my cob from Novice dressage, to sponsored XC rides, to Hunter Trials, to local showing. But I can do it all knowing that I can do it safely, in control (and usually coming away with a rosette).

 

[quirky]

My last horse, who I owned for 5 and a half years was stunning but absolutely bonkers. I appreciated his personality and rode him accordingly but it was never a pleasure to take him out anywhere. His main aim seemed to be to humiliate me. He didn't stop me doing things, we just didn't do them very often, ie. dressage comps, SJ clear rounds, trips to the beach.

I now have a just turned 4 year old who is an absolute dream to do. She loads without having to have an arguement about it, she'll tie up to the box and will be a joy to do wherever I take her. She had her 1st ridden outting yesterday at a dressage clinic and the trainer thought she was fantastically behaved regardless of her age.

Although I adored my quirky boy, my mare has re-ignited my love of riding.

 

[*hic*]

Oh I love my easy horses. Mind you I love my difficult ones too but there really is nothing nicer than a horse who just says "yes, I can do that" whatever you ask of it.

 

[milliepops]

Another fan of easy horses here. Although I wouldn't say mine was easy when you are on top as she gets quite hot and excitable, but I *always* feel safe on her even if we're scooting about sideways - she's not going to ditch me and she always gets on with the job when it matters. She is dead easy on the ground - clipping, shoeing, the heaviest traffic etc and that's worth a lot to me.

 

[Firewell]

I think it depends on definition of 'easy' but I agree it would drive me crazy to have a horse that you couldnt trust. One that you would have to lunge into the ground before riding, one that you never knew if it might put in a buck or a rear!

However I couldnt have a slow horse if you know what I mean! I trust my TB implicitly, shes never once done anything in the 4 years ive owned her to make me fall off and she is a great competition horse, like me she likes to win! However she is sensitive ( in a good way) and perhaps not for a novice. We gallop round the common with the wind in our hair and she matches my sense of fun. when shes bouncing up and down raring to go, I know exactly how she feels and it makes me laugh. I say 'c'mon vay, lets go!!' but i feel safe coz i know at any time all I have to do is sit up straight and she stops

. it wouldnt feel right now to have something I had to kick into canter!

 

[dorani]

Please.. where do you find all these easy horses....I want one too!

 

[hussar]

I had an easy horse but have just retired him and didn't appreciate how good he was till I got his successor! He would try his hoof at absolutely anything, no questions asked, would load himself, stand rock still for worming, injections, Xrays, would go forward at the touch of a leg and slow or stop on voice command let alone use of the reins. 100% in traffic and frequently used as a schoolmaster for younger horses. I just didn't know how lucky I was.

 

[popsicle]

I soooo agree. I have a really easy to do horse and one that is fairly easy to do. Unfortunately they are both now in their mid teens and showing signs of wear and tear and struggle to do too much now adays, but after having a very sharp, spooky horse, there is no way I would choose that type ever again.

 

[dwi]

Yes, definitely. I know so many people who won't canter out on hacks, won't hack on their own, wouldn't go hunting etc and I can do absolutely anything with D. Yes she's never going to BE or be a grade A sj'er but she will do anything in the riding club or at unaffiliated level. To me having a horse that doesn't scare me is invaluable.

 

[LittleSoph]

Well Freddie is still young so I'm hesitant to put him in the 'easy' bracket yet, purely because of his age... but in the five months I've had him he's only done one thing to make me doubt him. The fact I'm a nervous nelly is a completely seperate issue and nothing really to do with him...

However, I do think that once he has matured a little, he'll be a very 'easy' pony and I'm really looking forward to it. I want him to be a 'take you anywhere' pony and plan to give him as much life experience as possible. I think he's going to be great fun... much less stressful than some nutty phsyco or tempremental stubborn mule!

 

[tabithakat64]

Fudge is quirky to school but in the three weeks he's been back in work after 3 months off he's only spooked once

I love my two they are fairly bombproof, easy to handle and neither are really naughty and I've never have cause to think OMG I'm going to die

Lady is very exciteable though

.

I love my easy horses

 

[Sprout]

My three .... no, actually we wont talk out the adorable "neurotic one" ...... my other two are really sensible, cuddly, easy to have around ponies, and I really wouldnt want it any other way.

I LOVE the fact that they dont hooly round the fields, you can turn them out without them bouncing around, they stand quietly on the yard, load without hesitation, behave at shows, and apart from the odd spook out hacking are really good fun, but safe. we can canter all the little pony tracks on the forest, hop logs and ditches without them hotting up, ride to the pub and tie up while we have a coke etc.

I really cant cope with the stress of a "live wire" my boys are literally worth their weight in gold.

 

[zeuscleoharmony]

I am so, so, so lucky with Archie.

He fits around me, not me around him and so long as I check him every day (more for my peace of mind than anything cos he is very sensible in is field) its eezy peezy. Am lucky he lives on a working farm so he is kept an eye on in case of mishaps. He lives out 24/7/365 and I poo pick every day but if I miss a day its not the end of the world. He lives on fresh air and grass summertime and in winter I pop 3/4 of a bale out in the field and he has a feed and does extremely well. Shod every 8 weeks, fronts only. Can be ridden every day or every other week, it makes no difference to him at all. Ridden in a bitless bridle but probably a head collar would suffice.

Only thing that stresses him (and me) is when he gets stressed cos his next door neighbour pony, who he is totally in love with, leaves the field.

Its horses for courses, isn't it. He suits me and my lifestyle perfectly but for other people it wouldn't suit at all.

If I had a horse where I had to go up morning and evening, feed at a certain time, ride at a certain time to miss people, traffic and so on, I really couldn't manage.

 

[Coffee_Bean]

I'm going to put in a vote for the otherside actually. I'm a bit of an adrenaline junkie in the sense that I get a kick out of riding something difficult,, then getting what you want out of it. I would class my girl as fairly easy now. She will hack out alone/company, fab in traffic etc etc but she hasn't always been like this. It makes you appreciate what you've got if you've had to work hard for it imo. I enjoy going for a plod occasionally, but I would rather have a flashy but difficult horse, that will go further than a sane and sensible one that won't go as far.

Thats just me though, each to their own.

 

[LankyDoodle]

Well I have 2 quite easy horses, but one is more than likely going to have to be either retired or PTS. I adore my 19 year old cob, George, and can do anything with him - he can be stubborn and a bit cheeky but I love this about him. I had some arguments with him in the early days, but 7 years on, I would not part with him. In fact, I want another just like him but slightly bigger than his 15hh!

 

[golddustsara]

I have an 'easy' horse on loan and thank my lucky stars. No matter what the situation he always behaves like a gentleman and I trust him implicitly. No-one has ever fallen off him in his 9 years! Sometimes his laid back attitude can be irritating as you cannot wind him up bar hunting or XC but the most important thing to me is that I can trust him 100% If an alien spaceship landed I'm sure he'd just stare at it then go and investigate!

 

[Hullabaloo]

Me

Boo is a star - he will turn a hoof to anything. He's never boring to ride as he gives everything 100%. He's forward going and enthusiastic but in a controllable way. I can hack out on my own or with other people and I can take him to a show on my own without any problem. He gives me such confidence when I jump him.
We have to hack along an A road when we first leave the yard and he doesn't bat an eyelid at the heaviest traffic (pigeons are another matter

)

I've had him 6 years, and he hasn't always been this easy, but now we are a real partnership and its such a lovely feeling

 

[ladyt25]

Yup. Have to say I do see others and think "you wouldn't get me on that!". Had my horse that long now he's more like a dog. He has his silly moments but that'll be a bit of snorting, overbending and chomping and that's about it. I know I am always safe. He turns his hoof to anything and I compete him BSJA and XC yet my mum will also hack him out.

It;s nice to trust a horse to look after you.

 

[Flame_]

I like an easy ride. Something that's comfortable, light in the hand, doesn't pull or jig-jog but is the sort you have to sit quietly on rather than kick on or hold together.

However I like a horse with a lot of brains and they tend to come with a few tricks and exuberant tantrums/reactions . I like riding horses that make you think and keep you on your toes, too straightforward is a little dull IMO.

I'm too old for dangerous horses, I'd pick an easy one over a psycho every time these days.

 

[Sol]

As much as I love the crazy horses, and would do almost anything for the adrenaline, sometimes they're a lot better when you can give them back at the end xP
Recently sold my crazy mare because my parents decided she was just dangerous (Me? I was half unconscious and still wanted to get back on the horse!

) and got another youngster - but he's so much easier to deal with... still green and excitable, but just so much more accepting and I don't have to constantly be thinking 'oh god, what if...?' or wondering when I'll next be on the floor in agony while trying to see which direction the horse has gone in xD
I really do appreciate that about him

It's just so much easier to go to the yard and not worry all the time!

 

[lauraandjack]

Not all 'safe' horses are plods! (And not all ploddy horses are safe!)

After 2 years of hard work building a relationship with my horse I trust him and he trusts me. He is 110% in any traffic, will jump anything you point him at or die trying, he has taken me through a 4' deep river in flood and is happy to go out alone or in company. I have never known him kick, buck or bite.

However, he's far from a boring ride, and certainly not for a novice. He's very forward going, can be strong, and can be extremely stubborn to school and will try every evasion known to man if he wants. But equally he is not at all spooky and I feel totally safe riding him.

Tricky, yes. Challenging, yes. Hard to get the best out of, frequently. But he's not a nutter and is never going to dump you on the floor and piss off in the other direction.

He's easy in that he will load, tie up to the trailer at a show or stand happily in the trailer with a haynet. He stands around quietly out hunting or at shows and is a general nice guy to be around. But ask him to gallop and he'll be off like s**t off a shovel! And I love him for it!

 

[Patches]

Absolutely!!

Mine isn't easy on the ground (she reared today clipping her chin....but I didn't have anyone to hold the twitch for me so it wasn't on as well as normal), she barges if you have to treat cuts and knocks blah blah.

I forgive her quirks on the ground because she is such a dream to ride. She's a go anywhere, do anything type.

I've had her four years and she's taken me from a nervous almost beginner to where I am today.

This summer alone we've done a two dressage tests, dressage clinic, numerous farm rides, XC schooling and tomorrow I am taking her hunting for the first time ever!!!!!

I have no doubt she'll be as good as gold, as usual, and take it all in her stride.

She loads with ease, stands nicely on the trailer when we get to our destination, stands calmly to be tacked up at shows etc and is just an all round good sort.

Some would say I look a very confident rider....but I suspect my confidence comes from owning a horse so perfectly matched to my ability and frame of mind.