Best compliment you've had about your horse?

[Ample Prosecco]

The biggest compliment I get these days is how easy my horses are.

I love hearing that too! Especially when accompanied with 'you are so lucky your horses are so easy'.... Dolly was born easy but the others certainly weren't.

Also an experienced breeder said Felix is exactly the type she tries to breed: curious, alert, friendly, easy-going and with plenty of bone. And I should be thrilled with him. Which I am. He's an absolute sweetheart.

 

[scruffyponies]

I was riding out to accompany a local PC hack and the DC called my welsh x hunter a 'destrier'

 

[Spotherisk]

There have been a fair few over the years but the most recent was only a few weeks ago when the dentist came out for my two 30 year old retirees. They both accepted the whole session with no trouble at all, just firmly looked me in the eye for reassurance all the way through. Afterwards the dentist threw his arms around one of them for a really long hug, said they were an absolute delight to deal with, and knocked £30 off the bill because they hadn’t given a moments trouble.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

I have had two compliments on my ponies that I treasure. First was a little mare that had gone to stud at one of the premier Arab breeders. When I collected her (sadly not in foal) the stud groom told me it was a pleasure to have her as she was so easy to handle and catch, not like some.
The other was when competing in a Novice ridden class at BApS annual show on my little homebred mare. Richard and Marjorie Ramsay were the judges, Marjorie doing the riding. She rode mine and handed her back with the comment that she had the makings of 'a very nice ride indeed'. This from someone who produced top level Show Hacks. We weren't placed but didn't expect to be.

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

At Weston Lawns We were parked up close to Tim Stockdale & he came over & petted our horse, he said "He's nice". We said "It's his first affiliated show & off we went to compete. We came back & he said "How did you go" and we replied "He wemt clear" to which Tim said "You did well it was a technical course". That was years ago, I never forgot, he was a marvellous man & a very sad loss.

 

[southerncomfort]

He had been out on loan with a girl whose husband was away on tour with the England team. They had just given him back. The sweet chap missed the horse so much that, drunk one night in a bar in Estonia, he and Wayne phoned to talk to him…

Best. Story. Ever!!

 

[southerncomfort]

Being told that I'd done a fantastic job with my youngster. Meant the world to me because I'd been so worried about ruining him that I'd come close to selling him a couple of times. He is my absolute pride and joy.

Being a Fell pony with a long full mane and tail he gets lots of compliments when we're out and about!

 

[scats]

I often get told how beautiful the girls are, especially Polly (she is exceptionally pretty) but I do love it when my farrier jokes “have you drugged them?” because they are so well behaved for their feet.

They are good girls in general though. My friends are looking after them at the moment and I really don’t have to worry because I know the girls will be easy to handle, they’ll not bite or kick, they lead in and out fine. Things weren’t always that way but I believe ground manners are important so I work hard on establishing those and it pays off.

Some of the compliments that mean the most are those that my vet chiro makes about Polly. She first met Polly not long after I’d got her and she was a hyper sensitive, terribly anxious animal who wouldn’t allow herself to be touched even to be groomed. You couldn’t do anything to her in the stable, if you tried to rug her up she’d run around you, same with grooming. You couldn’t reason with her or bribe her in any way. She was trapped in her own head and wouldn’t let anyone in.
Over time, with a lot of trust and understanding, she turned into an absolute little gem of a horse (we’ll ignore my recent leg breaking incident, I genuinely think she got spooked and panicked and I don’t blame her one bit, it was a total accident) and my vet chiro always compliments her on how far she’s come. That means a lot to me because I’ve always believed that Polly was a lovely horse, she was just lost and afraid. It’s nice when someone recognises her for what I’ve always known she is.

 

[Merrymoles]

I was told my last horse had a "magnificent tail", which to be fair he did but it was white, took hours to wash and went through your fingernails like cheese wire

Nicest thing said about current stressy, weaving, sweating horse is "well he's calmed down a lot" when the weaving becomes a gentle rock rather than a full on bounce from side to side. However, the few who have handled him have said what an utter gentleman he is - and he is!

 

[Sealine]

My semi retired saint has had many compliments over the years:

Nick Turner said he liked his eye and attitude during a XC clinic. He said he liked that he was taking everything in his stride as if he was thinking 'Where are we today and what are we doing?' as if he was up for having a go at anything.

At a dressage clinic a level 2 judge was amazed I'd bought him as an allrounder and told me he was good enough for pure dressage. Unfortunately I'm not!

We've had lots of compliments out hunting as he so sensible and solid. He never kicks, always jumps, will go first up/down a bank/ditch, push through a hedge or do anything else you ask him to do. He's been described as a mountain goat more than once.

He's been described as a perfect gentleman and is also known for his huge tail which gets compliments from everyone.

He is my childhood dream come true and as you can tell I'm very proud of him.

 

[palo1]

My vet, from a very well respected equine practice offered to buy a horse we bred; she said he was the soundest, nicest horse she had seen in a long time. We bred and trained that Vet and dentist have also described my Welsh D mare as 'Extremely polite and easy - especially for a Welshie!' Early dressage adventures drew praise for some of the basic scales elements too though sadly we have not been able to pursue competing for other, non equine related reasons. I have trained her from a 2 year old. The less said about senior horse the better but several vets have said that he is exceptionally sound which at 17 and with many trips out of the gate doing everything from endurance to drag hunting, I hope is a testament to his care; he is a very refined type with some interesting conformational challenges. My pretty Welshie has also been much admired for her Black Beauty good looks whilst the senior horse draws admiration from small boys and those with Western dreams lol. I love them anyway but it is nice to have the odd complimentary comment!

 

[smolmaus]

While a loose horse careened around the arena during our very first dressage test and second outing ever our judge came over to stand with us and tell a perfectly calm and relaxed Sadie what an absolutely fantastic pony she was. She wrote "what a lovely little lady!" on her sheet and I will treasure it.

 

[Archangel]

The vet did my horse's teeth yesterday and said he wished all horses were as easy as him.

He's an old man now (horse, not vet) but in his younger days he held the position of second most dangerous horse I have ever ridden.

 

[JBM]

Getting told my older mare looks great for her age ? 21yo

 

[HorseyTee]

My boys don't get many compliments but then we are at our own private field.

But people have said my welshie has a kind eye, and our old trainer said he was too clever.

 

[Caol Ila]

Most backhanded compliment: "These horses are not like your horse." I was working at a yard, and a huge reprobate of a warmblood had got away from me. YO said you must lead his horses with your hand just below the leadrope clip, tightly under their chin. I always led my mare on a loose lead, and she had awesome manners.

That said, I'd been holding the horse in question about six inches below the clip but when 17hh of horse decides it's bogging off, what is 8st and 5'4 of me going to do about it?

 

[Vermeer]

My pony is prone to putting weight on, which is always a bit of a battle, so was very pleased and proud to hear both my YO and riding instructor talking amongst themselves about how good she looked. Not bad for a golden oldie in her mid twenties!

She always received compliments on how pretty she is when out hacking, ofc we all think our horses are the most beautiful, but it's nice to hear it from strangers

 

[SpotsandBays]

I get quite a few comments about my horses mane.
He’s a solid bay with a black tail but has gone abit salt and pepper over the years! It gets darker and lighter throughout the year ?

 

[turkana]

An odd one but I was very touched, I lost a much-loved horse to a field accident, I few weeks later I was riding along the road on her replacement & still feeling very fragile when a driver that I didn't recognise stopped & commented that I was riding a different horse & asked "where's your beautiful thoroughbred?"
So, I had to explain that the beautiful thoroughbred was no more, it was lovely to know that a complete stranger had noticed her enough to stop & ask about her

 

[scruffyponies]

One of my FTGH ponies, years ago at pony club was recognised by a previous owner (he had been passed around many homes free). "OMG is that 'X'? It can't be - he's so... GOOD!"

 

[pixie27]

I once had a BD judge come over after my test to congratulate us. She said her and her daughter (who was writing for her) really loved my boy. They were both eventers and wanted to make sure I’d be taking him out. Considering our first BD outing involved more bucking and ‘well sat’s than anything else, I was thrilled. That was our last comp before he suddenly retired, and a very fond memory.

My horse now gets complimented a lot about his kindness, which I adore. A close friend, and the horsey person I respect the most, calls him an old soul and reckons he’s been here a few times. She uses him to help socialise rescue horses who aren’t used to equine company.

Took him for a lesson with Andrew Day once, who said he was ‘very smart for a pony’?

 

[NightStock]

My lovely old warmblood, who is sadly no longer here, had a few compliments in our 16yrs together. People always commented on her lovely manners and she was the easiest horse (leader)in a herd so someone told me 'Every herd should have a mare like her in it'.
In our last year before she retired a lady walking told me she sometimes saw me ride past her window and she was her 'dream horse' and looked like a 'horse from an advertisement'. That melted my heart as she was an old girl by then.

Of course I have decided to challenge people now so have bought a chestnut Arab mare who likes to express herself

 

[J&S]

A local, well thought of dressage judge once said to me that my little tobiano mare was "a triumph of training". Silva Olsen Bedding told me she could sell her for a small fortune in Sweden and many other trainers said that they had clients waiting for a horse like her. Twenty three years later and she is still with me though.

 

[Xmasha]

The best compliment has to be for Finn, a local pro described him as Rocking horse shit. That was a couple of weeks after we bought him ( before he met him, he laughed at us for buying a 5yo ID just over from ireland )
He is still to this day a total gent.

 

[Peglo]

People tell me how beautiful Tali is most times I take her out. She’s been described as a Disney pony and Barbie. Think it’s the blond mane. She has a lovely cheeky little personality too.

 

[nagblagger]

Years ago i was lucky enough to take my horse to stay for 2 days with Richard Maxwell. He had issues with loading and we had recently been in a car accident so I needed help to build our confidence back on the ground as he was a big boy. After watching us interact together Richard said that 'my boy' totally trusted me and we obviously had a special bond together. It was lovely that such an expert said this.
(I lost him recently after 29 yrs together)

My OH has said my moody mare is pretty (for a horse!). He never passes compliments about them.

 

[fidleyspromise]

Sorry for your loss @nagblagger .

One instructor when my horse had only been started for a few months wished all his client horses were like her.- he have 20 of her in a lesson.

At a competition jumping and feeling anxious about being an adult on a pony as everyone had big, flashy horses and someone said, she looks like so much fun.
I've since realised I'd rather have a pony I feel safe on and have fun with than a horse I leave the arena in tears/over horses. I see so many people with horses they don't have fun with or enjoy

 

[iknowmyvalue]

Pepsi gets quite a few compliments on his looks when we are out (and if I say so myself, he is quite smart when he’s all nicely turned out) but the ones that mean the most to me are from people who met him when I first got him. You’d barely recognise him now!

My coloured mare I often got compliments on our partnership/bond which I loved, because it really was something special. That and when one of the masters out hunting said he’d happily take her out for the day

 

[Barton Bounty]

I get quite a few comments about my horses mane.
He’s a solid bay with a black tail but has gone abit salt and pepper over the years! It gets darker and lighter throughout the year ?

Thts gorgeous! People would kill for that colour nowadays ?

 

[Follysmum]

My vet commenting how I should be proud of my achievements with my old endurance horse and how well he looks at 26 .