Do you own your "perfect" horse?

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Horseymumma

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Just a musing really.

Since I have recently had to make the hard decision to put my beautiful boy up for sale as I feel I am not his perfect owner, I was wondering how many people actually own the "perfect" horse for them?

Or do you put up with a set of your own problems (however big or small) in your horse/rider relationship and muddle through?
 
I own 3 perfect horses - 2 schoolmasters of very different types and one baby.
1 schoolmaster is just the ideal horse for his discipline: easy, anyone can ride him and get something from him, he's very forgiving, but I am selling him because for where I am now, I will push him too hard too often and he will do better to scale down if he is to really last and enjoy his working days.
I also have the perfect horse for where I want to be (more recreational) in about 5 years from now: she is just wonderful, but not a competitive horse for me now. She actually epitomises the perfect type of horse I aspired to about 6 years ago and will do so again. And she is a horse I always would love to have around because she has the most amazing generous character.
I also have one perfectly lovely youngster with it all ahead of him (or us). And the more I look at him, the more excited I am. Tricky!!! lol
 
Yes!! In one word haha :) wouldn't change her for anything, she's half the perfect breed, near perfect colour and perfect height of my childhood dream pony :) haha. Rides like my dream pony too, forward going jumping pony.
 
YES I brought her for £800 incl tack sold from the field, first time I got on her she reared and had me off before we left the yard. 11 yrs iv had her now and love her to pieces, we have done everything together. She has a forever home with me
 
Well...... I was lucky enough to have the "perfect" first pony followed by the "perfect" first horse. They were both absolute darlings, both horses in a million.

The one I've got now is a sweetheart and I wouldn't ever part with him - but if honest I have to say that if I'd known exactly what the blighter was like I'd probably not have bought him :) But over the years we've come to an understanding and I know where he's genuinely scared of something -v- where he's just taking the P!ss. He is 99% my perfect horse.

Ditto loan mare. If I'd had her on trial, I'd more than likely have sent her back, simply because I've always had "plods" and she is very forward going and it wasn't what I was used to at all (but very safe with it I later realised) which would have been a huge shame as she's a lovely girl and has taught me so much and I love her to bits. Horses have a way of attaching themselves to you and she is incredibly loyal and a really super mare, so yes in that sense she is a "perfect" horse for me.
 
We have our moments :p

In all honesty I do think I have my perfect (for me!) horse. I had him years ago then had to give him up and I just bought him back in January. For around 7 years or so no other horse really mattered to me, I was always wanting him back, we just sort of clicked. I had plenty of opportunities with other horses but my heart wasn't really in it and I gave up riding for three years until I got him back again.

I've always wanted an Arab, which he is, and he certainly keeps me on my toes! His personality is something else, some days he is the sweetest thing, will fall asleep with his head on my shoulder... and other days he just wants to be left alone, and is the most un-coperative sod! Same with riding, some days he goes beautifully and I think we have 'nailed it' then the next day he is having none of it and I feel like we are back to square one again.

He is a star with my three year old son, he lets him lead him around like a dog on a lead, brush him, and he puts his head right down so he can reach him for cuddles and kisses. He is so gentle with him, and always has one eye on me as if he is assuring me that my son is safe with him.

I love the fact he has a proper personality, he has his own mind and makes sure we all know it, and I NEVER know what the day has in store for us.. it all depends on his mood.
What really amazed me was yesterday I was feeling really unwell but had dragged myself up to yard to do what has to be done. I already hadn't ridden in days but really didn't feel up for it, so decided to do some in hand practice instead, as we will be showing next year. I can't describe how crap I felt, and instead of prancing around like the show-off Arab he is he very silently crept about behind me, all lethargic and not wanting to do anything, which isn't like him. I ended up giving in after 10 minutes as I felt so ill, and the minute he was back in his stable he was back to himself, acting like he was all high and mighty 'look at me' and prancing about!
I really think he picked up on how awful I was feeling and decided he wasn't going to play that day, as that has never happened before.

I wouldn't have him any other way.

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Yes, my horse is exactly what I want now. He wouldn't have been what I wanted a few years ago when I wanted to event, but when I bought him I wanted a safe, comfortable, attractive, young arab to do endurance, and that's what I've got. Perfect. :cool: Also, as a bonus, he's a very lovely little person to hang around with which makes him all the better.
 
Yes and yes :) but he wasn't always the perfect horse, its taken time and work for us to click and for me to realise the buttons that need pushing but we're finally there :D
He's fantastic, will do anything, jump anything, loves XC and is totally bombproof and lovely on hacks. He took my very novice mother and got her cantering and ready to jump and I'm just so proud of him! I could gush for hours :))))
 
Yes, but she is more or less retired now, sadly a few years earlier than I'd hoped for (she's 20). However, I've had her for nearly 12 years and she has been the best happy hacker I could imagine, which is exactly what I like doing! She is very safe, very lively and has a really fast gallop! I will very much miss riding her.
 
Almost. The only way in which my boy is not perfect is that I can't do affiliated showing on him as he just freaks out, its not the worth the stress. Apart from that, he is brilliant.
 
Nope! Wrong breed, wrong height, wrong age, wrong training level.

I wanted a roughly 15hh , tb x cob/connie type, an allrounder, about 8yo. Oh, and not a grey!

Ended up with a 3.5yo (at time of purchase), 13.3hh cob type pony. I backed and broke him in myself. He's a grey tobiano (fancy talk for blue and white with a brown splodge or two).

Love him to bits though, my heart completely ruled my head but we are both learning so much every day and he might just end up being perfect.
 
Yes, people often comment on how much me and my horse are alike, he's a chilled out laid back dude who takes everything in his stride, and has the most perfect temperament, yeah okay he has his teenage moments when being ridden and will refuse to work in an outline but through bribery he soon sees that my way is the best way, on the ground he respects me and will follow me willingly around the yard off the lead and rarely leaves my side, and this is what I want from a horse, not just an animal who I can use to exercise but more of a furry friend :)
 
I did own my perfect horse for 8 years (took me a few of them to realise it mind!). Would have liked a few more years with him to be honest but his old joints had other ideas. He was the very definition of a go anywhere, do anything, with anyone type of pony and did it all with enthusiasm and every sign of enjoying whatever it was you wanted him to turn his hoof to that day.

Have only had current horse a few months and have had a few issues during that time that have meant I've only been able to ride him for about half of it. Hard to say how good we are together at the minute with all the stop starting. There have been nice moments but there have also been a few scary ones
 
Yes, love her to bits, she is my absolute "dream horse"! :o
Perfect "type" (looks like a TB but can't be one due to the colour!), dream colour, perfect height and a mare. She is so much fun, very sharp and fizzy and a complete loony but I just love her enthusiasm, she's so happy and keen to do things, she loves jumping and zooming about and just brings a huge smile to my face whenever I'm around her. I've never enjoyed riding anything as much as I enjoy riding her, even if she is quite challenging to stay onboard. The only drawback to her personality is that she is a total stresshead which makes her difficult to handle on the ground, especially in "fun" situations - I hope that in time this will improve!
 
Unfortunately no :( he was a freebie a long time ago when I desperately wanted a horse. We don't get on at all really, never do and most likely never will! It's a shame really as he could be a cracking little thing!
 
Olive is without a doubt the perfect horse for me, I would still change something about her though. I just wish wish wish she would grow. 16h would be perfect. I bought her as a 15.3, but by the time I had her shoes off and my farrier had taken care of her feet she turned out to be about 15.1 and a half (if I'm lucky).
 
All my horses over the years have been perfect in their own way. Probably not for anyone else because they've all had their quirks. Jenny my older horse was very difficult when I got her and has turned into a fantastic horse. Even now when I'm starting to give her a quieter life she is still full of vim, opinionated and can turn herself inside out bucking at times. But I wouldn't have her any other way. When I look where we started and where we ended up, it's been a fantastic journey, learnt so much from each other and achieved so much. So yes pretty much perfect in an unconventional way.
The new girl, Dee is proving to be a challenge 6 weeks in and certainly testing me in new ways, but that's what I enjoy about horses, looking at the potential within what they've got, working with the issues that arise and gaining a huge amount of achievement in sorting problems out. I hope she will go on to be just as perfect as her predecessors :-)
 
Yes I do - and the funny thing is, the more I work I put into him the more perfect he became. He is now semi-retired and far less perfect than he was when I put the work into him
 
Yes! Took me getting a couple of duds, but then Pickle came along. He is everything I want in a horse. Cheeky enough to keep it entertaining, but at the same time so kind natured I trust him completely. 15.2hh, 6yo, competing successfully at BE100 with plenty of scope to go on up the levels. Only thing I would change would be his colour. Far too much scrubbing involved!

 
Yes, it was love at first sight, when he's opening gates or being a bully, I swear i'm going to sell him, everyone says "Yeah right", even the horse gives me a look that says, I'm yours for better or worse, he has even shown jealousy towards my OH, but he's my boy
 
My first horse was my dream horse! Jet black with a long flowing mane and silky feathers with a star! One that i trusted with my life and could do anything with and one that i have an amazing bond with. zara was exactly that and was the most beautiful kind and loving horse i have ever met and ever will meet. i will hopefully be getting my new dream horse next week as the more i have been involved with competition the more ive wanted a competition horse. my dream competition horse is a ish, young but mature, safe but fun, bay and beautiful! Able to compete at a good level yet be a saint on the ground! Hopefukly my new one will work out and then ill have had my horse of a lifetime and a dream competition horse
 
It's so nice you all own your perfect friend. :) hopefully my boy will find his really soon and then I will be able to find mine.
 
Yes:). Taken a few set backs along the way. But wouldn't want him any other way. Well maybe i wouldnt miss the leaping around in show classes or the opening of electric gates. But hey he's as near perfect as you can get without boring me
 
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