Ever realise quite how well behaved..

[FlyingCircus]

Your horse is?

I realised this today. I take him for granted a lot, when really I shouldn't. Today is a perfect example of why.

Tacked him up and jumped on in high winds, I jumped more at the creaky fences than he did! Didn't step a foot out of line all the way to the New Forest. On forest, met some other riders who he went past without question, some flappy plastic flew at us and he merely stared...then a sudden scream and a riderless horse flew past us. He kept his head and only followed (through thick trees!!) when I decided to go after the pony. Let me check him when we got to boggy bits and let me direct such that I didn't get my head whiped out by a low hanging branch.

Found horse with some other riders, found the rider and reunited them...then rode home thinking how lucky I am.

Gushing post really but anyone ever had a similar moment?

 

[ImmyS]

What a lovely post 😀

I’ve felt like this recently too. I wanted to ride the other day but whether was terrible. I brought my 4 year old in with it blowing a gale. Then it started pelting it down so he hung out with me for 20 minutes in one of the big barns whilst the shower passed. Just stood quietly with me.

We then dashed out and tacked up before the next shower and I head out. He was just foot perfect, 45mph winds with heavy showers, I stupidly went at rush hour so was manic through the village, having to stop and negotiate all sorts of traffic, pass a big building site on a narrow road with all the diggers and machinery going, tackle caravans parked on the road with a big flappy cover on in the wind, I decided to go a new route and he just took it all in his stride. Headed up the wood trail home and there was lots of branches down to negotiate, I just held on an he picked his way through. It’s just little things but I really think wow I’m lucky, especially as he’s only 4.

 

[Gloi]

I feel so lucky with my youngster. He is fearless. When I'd only been riding him a short while I was out with a couple of others and a man was up a ladder cutting his hedge and hadn't seen us. He just walked straight up to the ladder so I could speak to the man and ask him to switch the clippers off for a minute so the others could pass. Nothing we meet on the road bothers him, he must have been here before

 

[Snowfilly]

Not so much his other behaviour, but my old Clyde was the easiest horse to load ever. He'd come running at the sight of a lorry, look sad if it wasn't for him, and to load you simply put his rope over his neck and let go. He'd march up the ramp and shuffle his bum over, then stand there until you tied him up. Unloading was the same, someone could let him go and he'd come off the ramp and walk over to the tie ring at the side of the lorry.

Watching someone fight a little welsh A at a show the other day made me realise how good he was. Someone did a grand job with him as a youngster.

 

[JJS]

He sounds like a star, OP!

 

[ponynutz]

Sounds absolutely fantastic, OP!

I remember once my girl jumping in the high winds, the pole fell down as were going in and she just jumped the pole anyway haha.

 

[Griffin]

Mine has her quirks (clippers and vets) but is truly bombproof to ride. No matter what the weather or what new things she encounters, she doesn't falter. She's such a good girl to handle too.

 

[NiamhB]

Sounds like you've a great horse OP! I myself have always been more interested in a horses manners and sensibility rather than there talent or athleticism.
I may not win as many rosettes at shows but at least i know i can always depend on her and enjoy myself rather than stress.

 

[windand rain]

Yup pretty special baby we backed her yesterday was as good as gold and was lead out on a hack today in the wind she lead all the way out and went behind all the way back. She is only 12hh and had a tiny rider aboard. She has been walked along the track regularly but today was her first ridden hack she didnt flinch and was happy even in the gale force winds

 

[awelshandawarmblood]

It was only the other day I was thinking this of my boy, he can have a devilish streak & quirky but he is so so good in so many ways & I sometimes forget & take him for granted. He'll pass ANYTHING out hacking even if petrified because he knows I wouldn't put him in danger - as a 4yr old on his 3rd hack out he lead several older horses past a JCB, I know I can just tack up & go after him not been ridden for months on end & he'll act exactly the same, he'll ride the same anywhere as he does at home, he's a big softy & great to handle. We'll ignore the fact he's terrible to load & a drama queen lol I love him to bits!

 

[Shady]

Lovely post FW, you have every right to be proud!
Mine are both pretty bomb proof but I did wonder if my luck had run out the other day when the OH and I went down by the river to a lovely spot only to have the local farmer drive an enormous herd of sheep straight at us ( didn't know we were there) .We both sat there with sheep everywhere and both horses were amazing and didn't move except a few steps back when the dogs appeared. The expression of horror on the poor farmers face when he saw us was priceless but luckily all was fine and we carefully rode through and around them and carried on with our ride. Good horses are the best!!!!!

 

[McFluff]

Lovely post, it is easy to forget to appreciate your horses good behaviour. He sounds like a star

 

[silv]

What a lovely post, I too have a star.

I took her on a 3 day trek in the NZ high country last weekend, which involved staying on a farm for two nights with 50 other horses.
She hasn't been ridden in such a large group of horses before but she just happily walked along on the buckle, some of the terrain was very challenging, rocky river beds, steep up and down climbs on very slippery ground, narrow goat tracks under trees and creeks. She just took it all in her stride and gave some horses leads through some of the tracks despite it all being unfamiliar ground to her. She is fit from doing forestry and farm rides but this was definitely a step up from that. Over the 3 days of long rides she didn't put a hoof wrong, I was so proud of her and she gave me a lovely ride. The only downside was torrential rain, which meant we couldn't see the spectacular views, it hadn't rained for weeks, how ironic that we have praying for rain but it picked that weekend!

The previous Saturday we had successfully competed at an agricultural show and were well placed in good company in all our classes (riding horse) and the Sunday we did a dressage competition and had an all time best score of 67.6 percent in Elementary.

She just seems happy to turn her hoof to anything, I always think how lucky I am to have found her. She is the tall black mare in the photos, with the blue saddle bags.

 

[daydreamer]

Yes, yesterday we had to move my 10 month old foal and his field mate (9mo) from their field to the stables as the hunt was due to come past. It is a probably just less than a 5 minute walk but it was howling a gale. My youngster walked along politely along behind me until i heard him bouncing on the spot a bit. I turned around to see his field mate spinning, rearing and striking out at the girl leading him. She managed to wrangle him back behind us where he tried to mess around again, fell over and then got up and decided to behave himself. Mine just stood waiting and then walked off when I asked him to. I was extremely proud of my little lad and glad I have him and not the other one!!

 

[Mule]

Mine is more or less bombproof, I wouldn't call it well behaved, he's just really chilled out. I think the calm ones are worth their weight in gold.

 

[Mule]

Lovely post FW, you have every right to be proud!
Mine are both pretty bomb proof but I did wonder if my luck had run out the other day when the OH and I went down by the river to a lovely spot only to have the local farmer drive an enormous herd of sheep straight at us ( didn't know we were there) .We both sat there with sheep everywhere and both horses were amazing and didn't move except a few steps back when the dogs appeared. The expression of horror on the poor farmers face when he saw us was priceless but luckily all was fine and we carefully rode through and around them and carried on with our ride. Good horses are the best!!!!!

Ooh, yours are Arabs aren't they? I love Arabs but I love a calm temperament as well. I didn't know you could get chilled Arabs. *Mule now wants one 🤔

 

[Keith_Beef]

I took her on a 3 day trek in the NZ high country last weekend, which involved staying on a farm for two nights with 50 other horses.
She hasn't been ridden in such a large group of horses before but she just happily walked along on the buckle,

At the end of July, beginning of August, I'm going to the Equirando, an event held in France every two years. Part of the event is a grand cavalcade of up to a thousand horses and riders... Riders in costumes representing their home countries, with flags and pennants flapping... Should be interesting. I doubt that many of the horses present will have ever been in such a big group, either.

 

[Bernster]

I know what you mean OP. Sometimes it’s not always appreciated as much as it should be. It’s easy to think about what might not be spot on but on days like today I’m reminded what an awesome horse I have. We are bumbling along at low levels, entirely due to me, but last weekend I went sj, and did a xc lesson, today we did well at dressage, and in between that he does super work in the school and hacks out on the buckle in all weathers. I’m very lucky.

 

[J&S]

Years ago i used to have the ride on a beautiful Welsh/Arab mare, she was a happy and talented jumper and brilliant on the forest. One day I was riding over to the Buck Hounds Show with a younger girl on her gelding who was really playing about, sideways, up and down, all over the place. My mare went quietly beside him. "Oh, she is very quiet, isn't she" the girl said. "No," I replied, "she is just good mannered!".

 

[Shady]

Ooh, yours are Arabs aren't they? I love Arabs but I love a calm temperament as well. I didn't know you could get chilled Arabs. *Mule now wants one 🤔

Lol Mule. If I could clone mine i'd make a fortune!! he is unbelievable .I look at him and wonder what I ever did to deserve such a horse. I know his sire was very gentle and he had a super start in life, he then went to an amazing family for 8 years and then to me.
The other horse is actually a big PRE not an Arab and he is amazing with traffic and most things but could decide on a whim that he doesn't want to go past a calf or a bit of twine one day and breeze past a runaway bin liner the next!

 

[Antw23uk]

I tend to appreciate how good I've got it with my two when I come on here and read about all your delinquents, lol! (present company excluded of course) Having polite, well mannered and sensible horses makes life and the hobby so much easier and nicer

 

[Annagain]

Nobody has ever fallen off my share horse in the 18 years I've known him, just fallen over with him! He's currently taking his owner's 12yr old to pony club and looking after him brilliantly. We don't call him Mr Perfect for nothing. Having said that, he did buck like stink as we galloped up the hill in the woods on Saturday. It's the sort of bucking that makes you laugh though, there's no way it would ever get you off and he only ever does it when he's really having fun so it just makes you happy!

 

[Keith_Beef]

Nobody has ever fallen off my share horse in the 18 years I've known him, just fallen over with him! He's currently taking his owner's 12yr old to pony club and looking after him brilliantly. We don't call him Mr Perfect for nothing. Having said that, he did buck like stink as we galloped up the hill in the woods on Saturday. It's the sort of bucking that makes you laugh though, there's no way it would ever get you off and he only ever does it when he's really having fun so it just makes you happy!

I hope one day to reach a level of horsemanship where I can tell the difference between

• bucking to try to throw me off
• bucking to be playful.

I've already been on plenty of horses who would try a half-hearted buck, just to see if I would just fall off like a sack of potatoes that had been dumped in the saddle...

 

[The Trooper]

I hope one day to reach a level of horsemanship where I can tell the difference between

• bucking to try to throw me off
• bucking to be playful.

You may not know the difference but there is one.

I've had my two girls put in a cheeky wee buck at the bottom of field etc. I'm sure that if either of them wanted me off they would manage it.

Secondly, have you never seen a horse running across the field bucking/rearing etc? Surely those are excited and playful bucks because no one is actually on their back.

 

[SEL]

I hope one day to reach a level of horsemanship where I can tell the difference between

• bucking to try to throw me off
• bucking to be playful.

I've already been on plenty of horses who would try a half-hearted buck, just to see if I would just fall off like a sack of potatoes that had been dumped in the saddle...

You'll know it when it happens

If you ever make the mistake of getting on a horse with a bad back / badly fitting saddle / sore hocks and don't listen to the warning signs for instance. Done all 3 at some point in the past 40 odd years and have the dodgy back to teach me the lesson. And I'm pretty good at sitting bucks too.

Maybe one day my mare will appear in a thread on how well behaved horses can be. Maybe......

 

[Keith_Beef]

You may not know the difference but there is one.

I've had my two girls put in a cheeky wee buck at the bottom of field etc. I'm sure that if either of them wanted me off they would manage it.

Secondly, have you never seen a horse running across the field bucking/rearing etc? Surely those are excited and playful bucks because no one is actually on their back.

I've taken a horse out on a lead rope into the arena and let it off to run free to exercise because it wasn't in work, and then whipped the lunge rope under and over mty shoulder to make a bit of noise to encourage it to blow off steam. So, yes, I've seen a horse at play.

I'm not doubting that there is a difference, just hoping one day to be able to recognise the difference between a playful buck and a "get off me" buck when I'm on the horse's back.

 

[MyBoyChe]

Im very lucky with my boy, there have been lots of occasions where I have realised what a little gem he is. Only yesterday he was tied up outside the lorry after our hack when my jacket which I had hung on the hook on the back door, took off in a gust of wind and flew right over his head and landed next to him. He honestly didnt turn a hair, he was too busy with his post ride haynet to bother with such trifles

 

[Annagain]

I hope one day to reach a level of horsemanship where I can tell the difference between

• bucking to try to throw me off
• bucking to be playful.

I've already been on plenty of horses who would try a half-hearted buck, just to see if I would just fall off like a sack of potatoes that had been dumped in the saddle...

You'd know if you ever rode M! His bucks rise approximately 8" off the ground. He only ever does them whilst galloping uphill and only when he's very excited and bouncy. All they do is make you bounce a bit in the saddle. As I said nobody's ever fallen off him in the 18 years we've had him. It's just his way of going "yeehah!".

 

[Merrymoles]

I wish I could say mine was well behaved but he's not reliably so. He can be fab or an absolute t*t - apart from the fact that he is brilliant with traffic! Bicycles worry him a bit, especially if there are a lot heading towards him but tractors, combines, strange trailers with machinery on, children hanging out of car windows waving at him, artic wagons, Shetland ponies being driven towards him at a spanking trot - they're all a piece of cake!

I will happily put up with the t*t moments in return for the fantastic behavour in traffic.

 

[Landcruiser]

I had a great example of what a good boy my lad is at the weekend. Riding solo down a new (to us) lane in high wind I saw a woman in a field to the right with two lively horses, big cobs, one on the end of a rope and the other with a headcollar half on, rope trailing, loose, heading for the narrowish gate which was next to us and OPEN to the lane. I immediately put my lad solid in the open gateway, we held the escaped cob there nose to nose, while she caught up with the other cob and recaptured our one. Then we watched her with both cobs being towed down the road, over a verge, through a patch of daffodils, and through another gate into a farmyard, swearing and cussing at them all the way.
(But who leaves the gate open when going to bring in horses over a lane???)