Has a horse ever helped you..

I have issues with the tendons in my feet and ankles, both mine walk in side by side matching my pace while I hang off their neck rugs to keep my footing. Has been quite handy in all the mud while I'm very pregnant roo!
B1 used to push my jacket pockets hard demanding treats (and she's a blooming star so always deserves them, just on a permanent diet like me) but stopped the day we fell pregnant
 
had a rescue horse who had many quirks but was rock solid in traffic and also with guns, was frightened of nothing. We went into a bridleway and a herd of heffers had been turned out that morning, they charged us and we went over to the hedge I dismounted as they were coming flat out straight at us. Win charged towards them, took them flat out round the field, I stood next to the hedge at least 100 yards from the gate with a clear piece of field between me and the gate, would have been flattened if I had tried to run across, he saw this and slowed to a canter herd of cows still behind him, took them to the far end of the field while I ran to the gate, then came back slowly, did a really fast spurt to leave them behind, I let him through the gate, heffers screeched to a halt the other side. he then stood like a rock while I climbed back on from the bank and plodded home with me shaking like a leaf. This is the horse that was very highly strung and I bought him as an unbreakable half starved project. kept him til the end of his days. ( Think heffers are actually heiffers . Lol
 
Once I was leading Luna and her mum Dolly in from the field together, we had just passed an open barn when the farmer started up a tractor. Dolly is scared of tractors and she dived sideways into me, ripping the lead rope from my hand and pushing me to the floor. I landed in a heap practically underneath Luna.

Luna is usually pretty flighty and I am sure in other circumstances would have high tailed off after mum but she stood perfectly still and looked down at me, even lowering her head! Good pony!
 
Many years ago I owned a big cob who was convinced he was really a flighty TB. The yard I kept him at was owned by a fairly frail elderly lady who liked to help. Although I had expressly forbidden her to bring him in from the field I would quite often turn up at the yard to find the pair of them walking very, very slowly down the yard with her leaning against him for support and his halo shining brightly! This same horse could spook and be quite 'interesting' to ride, unless he had a small child on a leading rein, then he was beautifully behaved and looked after his young rider.
 
I was at a livery yard and all the horses were in one massive field in a new herd. I’d only had my horses a couple of months and there were a couple of mares in the herd that I was petrified of. One afternoon I was leading my retired gelding in for a groom when the mares charged at us; next thing I know the ground was thundering and my other tank of a gelding came steamrolling in from behind and put himself between myself and the mares, he then walked next to me for several acres keeping them at a distance, they came back at me and he chased them off again. It was scary to watch, he was full on horror movie type ears flat back, teeth bared etc then flip of a switch turn back to me completely docile and touched my hand with his nose. I initially thought he was protecting the horse I was leading but he kept nudging my hand as if to say its ok (wasn’t for treats as I never feed them treats from hand).
He’s also very switched on when I’m upset. He’s normally a bolshie so and so, has to be in on the action and not one to stand and cuddle but when I thought I was losing my oldie and crying my heart out in the field he just wondered over to me and stood with his head on my shoulder for ages until I’d regained some composure
 
I've got a few. Years and years ago I worked at a riding school and I was taking a ride out about this time of year - me on large Irish horse, some tiny kids on tiny ponies and a teenage helper at the back. As we passed the village pub, some blokes came out very much worse for wear and, while not aggressive, they were loud and grabbed the bridle of one of the ponies (suspect they just wanted to cuddle it). It was intimidating for the ponies and little riders and my horse promptly backed into the bloke who had grabbed the bridle and then half-passed the rest of them back on to the pavement. They were more than a little frightened and very apologetic.

At the same riding school we had a horse who was a known kicker and always had to be at the back of any ride or lesson. However, he was incredibly gentle with people and I once saw a small child walk right under him when her mum wasn't watching her. It happened too quickly for anyone to stop it but he stood like a rock. He went on to have a long and distinguished career with the RDA.

Current horse is a nervy type. I was bringing him in in a pair of old wellies with little tread when I slipped in the gateway and slid right under him. It is a confined space and I was slightly stuck as to how to get up as I was right under his belly and next to the fence. He stood like a rock while I extricated myself. He got lots of treats and I got some new wellies!
 
Mahoganybay said:
This thread is just lovely, very heart warming!

I was gifted a lovely mare as my first horse, she was 21 when she was given to me. I learnt everything I needed to know about horses and horse care from that mare, she gave me the best 10 years of her life.

One day, we were out solo hacking, as we often did, and went down quite a steep hill off a track. The track is an old railway line, filled in and used for riding, cycling, dog walking etc.

The hill we went down was, as I say quite steep and the path was worn at the sides with jutted grass edges. She tripped and I could feel her start to fall, she fell forwards first and then to the side. I was knocked unconscious and when I came too, she was lay facing down the hill on her side and i was still sat astride her, with my hip stuck under the juttec grass edge. I could not move and had excruciating pain in my hip.

My mare was deadly still, I thought she was dead, having had a heart attack. My phone was in my pocket, under my hip, so I could not reach it. I started to panic, shouting for help, my mare was so so still, I was crying and screaming.

Fortunately a man was walking his dog and heard my shouts, he saw my hi viz and came down, called an ambulance. All the time my mare was still, the guy reassured me she was breathing and when I started to calm down I could see her eye moving.

The ambulance crew arrived, took about 15 minutes to get to us, and they went to my horses head and said 'come on Impy, you can get up now' and she did, very very carefully. Not a scratch on her and as calm as anything. By this time my Hubbie had arrived on his push bike (no cars down the track).

The ambulance guy said he had seen it before where a horse had laid still as it knew to move in a panic would cause more injury, and my beautiful beautiful mare had done it too, looked after me in the best possible way.

I was airlifted to hospital and my lovely Hubbie walked my mare back to the stables whilst pushing his bike, she never put a hoof wrong.

Safe to say, when I next saw her, she had the biggest of hugs and kisses and was my hero.

I returned the favour a few years later and held her in my arms as she took her last breaths. Love you Impy xx
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Thanks now I've blotted my makeup !!!!!!!
 
My story isnt that dramatic but last winter, I was looking after another liveries horse and they were in my paddock along with my big mare and my youngster who was about a year and a half old.

I went into the paddock to check them in the dark when the other horse decides to double barrol me and I end up down and underneath my youngster and bless her, she did move except to drop her head to look at me as to say "what you doing down there"! Shes a little star! Needless to say, the other horse got moved into another paddock.
 
My pony of a lifetime helped me through a blizzard once. It was night, it was dark. I was trying to bring horses in when a blizzard hit and I couldn't see my hand in front of my face. I opened the gate and the others flew up to the yard, but he stood and waited for me. I quickly became lost and disorientated so I put my hand on his withers and we walked very slowly together until I could see the yard and I let go and said 'go on then boy' and off he went up to the yard. I have never encountered another like him nor ever had a bond like that with another horse.

ETA: Hope you are ok OP. That sounds really scary. xx
 
I remember once I was helping at the local riding stables and I'd say I was about 10 years old. We were turning the ponies out in to the big summer field and I had Goldie who was a known kicker. Once we got to the field I tripped and must of frightened goldie has she took off at full pelt headcollar still on and lead rope flailing in tow! I panicked as she wouldn't let me catch her and I just kept seeing this lead rope going near her little fragile legs and I was just picturing the worst thinking she was going to get tangled up or some other horrible accident.
It was then that one of the 3yo unbroken ponies came upto me and wouldn't leave my side as I tried to catch goldie and I remember saying 'Oh Friday (that was her name) I only want to catch Goldie to take off her headcollar and lead rope, I don't want to catch her and bring her in! With that, Friday took off after Goldie, pranced around her and instead of Goldie kicking her for being too close she stood like a rock and let me approach and take off her headcollar! She then went off to graze calmly and I looked at Friday with astonishment and said thank you Friday! And she just stood looking at me all proud with her ears pricked and bottom lip wobbly!
I've never forgotten that day. I always wonder what happened to that lovely pony too.
 
I was out on a hack once and fainted on a track. I must have scared my horse when I slithered off because my reins were pulled over his head and my stirrups were all over the place but bless him he was just stood there looking at me when I came round. Didn't try to ****** off and eat grass which he would have done in a normal situation!
 
The day my old boy had to be PTS very unexpectedly, it was my day to turn all the horses out. We have a rota and do one weekday day each, so the fact it was my day was luck in itself. I got to the yard and knew instantly there was something wrong as his head wasn't over the door. I called him as he whinnied at me at forced himself up but had to lie down again straight away. I called the vet and while waiting for him, the YO turned all the other horses out for me. My best friend's mare and I had known each other years and had a love-hate relationship. She had thrown me off, bitten me, bolted with me and was generally not very nice to me. She hated being in and would charge out of her stable in the morning to the point where you had to put her headcollar and a lunge line on over the stable door, open it and stand well back, but this morning she refused to leave. YO thought it was becuase of my boy as they were close so left her stable door open so she could wander round and maybe be a comfort to him, but she didn't leave her stable. When it was all over (he had colic) she started whinnying at me. I went over, we had a big cwtch and then she wandered out of her stable and off to the field gate.
 
EKW said:
And yet you put the pregnant lady in with her and she drops her head and doesn't move a muscle - as though she is doped up to her eyeballs! Anyone can do literally anything with her whilst Ali is in the box with her.
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My usually bolshy cob was quite different when I was pregnant. I had definate "baby brain" and did some really stupid things to him, most memorable one being leading him all the way to the field only to then realise I had forgotten to attach the lead-rein to the headcollar and was walking along with a leadrein in my hand whilst he walked quietly alongside. This from a horse that even now (three years on) will always try and grab a mouthful any chance he gets.
 
Mahoganybay said:
This thread is just lovely, very heart warming!

I was gifted a lovely mare as my first horse, she was 21 when she was given to me. I learnt everything I needed to know about horses and horse care from that mare, she gave me the best 10 years of her life.

One day, we were out solo hacking, as we often did, and went down quite a steep hill off a track. The track is an old railway line, filled in and used for riding, cycling, dog walking etc.

The hill we went down was, as I say quite steep and the path was worn at the sides with jutted grass edges. She tripped and I could feel her start to fall, she fell forwards first and then to the side. I was knocked unconscious and when I came too, she was lay facing down the hill on her side and i was still sat astride her, with my hip stuck under the juttec grass edge. I could not move and had excruciating pain in my hip.

My mare was deadly still, I thought she was dead, having had a heart attack. My phone was in my pocket, under my hip, so I could not reach it. I started to panic, shouting for help, my mare was so so still, I was crying and screaming.

Fortunately a man was walking his dog and heard my shouts, he saw my hi viz and came down, called an ambulance. All the time my mare was still, the guy reassured me she was breathing and when I started to calm down I could see her eye moving.

The ambulance crew arrived, took about 15 minutes to get to us, and they went to my horses head and said 'come on Impy, you can get up now' and she did, very very carefully. Not a scratch on her and as calm as anything. By this time my Hubbie had arrived on his push bike (no cars down the track).

The ambulance guy said he had seen it before where a horse had laid still as it knew to move in a panic would cause more injury, and my beautiful beautiful mare had done it too, looked after me in the best possible way.

I was airlifted to hospital and my lovely Hubbie walked my mare back to the stables whilst pushing his bike, she never put a hoof wrong.

Safe to say, when I next saw her, she had the biggest of hugs and kisses and was my hero.

I returned the favour a few years later and held her in my arms as she took her last breaths. Love you Impy xx
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That made me weep! Bless her x
 
Wow, there are some amazing stories here!!
Mahoganybay said:
This thread is just lovely, very heart warming!

I was gifted a lovely mare as my first horse, she was 21 when she was given to me. I learnt everything I needed to know about horses and horse care from that mare, she gave me the best 10 years of her life.

One day, we were out solo hacking, as we often did, and went down quite a steep hill off a track. The track is an old railway line, filled in and used for riding, cycling, dog walking etc.

The hill we went down was, as I say quite steep and the path was worn at the sides with jutted grass edges. She tripped and I could feel her start to fall, she fell forwards first and then to the side. I was knocked unconscious and when I came too, she was lay facing down the hill on her side and i was still sat astride her, with my hip stuck under the juttec grass edge. I could not move and had excruciating pain in my hip.

My mare was deadly still, I thought she was dead, having had a heart attack. My phone was in my pocket, under my hip, so I could not reach it. I started to panic, shouting for help, my mare was so so still, I was crying and screaming.

Fortunately a man was walking his dog and heard my shouts, he saw my hi viz and came down, called an ambulance. All the time my mare was still, the guy reassured me she was breathing and when I started to calm down I could see her eye moving.

The ambulance crew arrived, took about 15 minutes to get to us, and they went to my horses head and said 'come on Impy, you can get up now' and she did, very very carefully. Not a scratch on her and as calm as anything. By this time my Hubbie had arrived on his push bike (no cars down the track).

The ambulance guy said he had seen it before where a horse had laid still as it knew to move in a panic would cause more injury, and my beautiful beautiful mare had done it too, looked after me in the best possible way.

I was airlifted to hospital and my lovely Hubbie walked my mare back to the stables whilst pushing his bike, she never put a hoof wrong.

Safe to say, when I next saw her, she had the biggest of hugs and kisses and was my hero.

I returned the favour a few years later and held her in my arms as she took her last breaths. Love you Impy xx
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What a wonderful girl, this has me in floods of tears!!

Ax
 
I had a pony who once (after I'd got us lost in a forest) got us back to the trailer where Dad had parked! It was a foggy day, I was riding on my own while Dad walked the dogs, in an unfamiliar area. I got to a junction, just wanted to cry as I had no idea where I was or how to get home. I was rummaging about in my pockets for my map when Buzzy just turned himself and started walking. I was still rummaging for my map and left him to it... when I glanced up a few seconds later I suddenly recognised where we were, sort of, but not enough to know how to get back. I decided I'd trust him and let him make the decisions. Sure enough, 15 minutes or so later on we were back on the main track and I definitely knew how to get back to the trailer, where we were met by Dad just as he was starting to get worried about us!

glad you're feeling better OP
 
Oh so many heart warming stories of our neds looking after us.

I was out hacking with my lad, not the best of days - deep snow, but had to ride him as he hadn't been out in a couple of days, and riding was safer than leading him where we were. Sadly, some absolute idiot threw a snowball containing a stone at him, and not surprisingly, he was startled. He lost his footing, and came down on me and did bolt. Bless him, I'm on the ground, in a lot of pain, and not able to put any weight on my left foot. I called, and the big lad came back to me, and was nosing me. I had no idea how I was going to get back on, and no way of walking home, when a passing dog walker managed to leg me back on. Paddy took me home (I was in a right state), and plodded back gently with me. When we got back I realised the next problem - the stable was away from the house, and I was going to be stuck once I slither off (no mobile phones to summon help in those days). So we went to the house instead. But nobody saw us. The clever lad realised I wasn't thinking straight, and started shouting - which got the desired reaction. Bless him, Paddy taught us so much, and was our horse of a lifetime.
 
What a lovely thread; my eyes are leaking a lot from reading so many stories. Heart is very much warmed.

I can remember riding my friends rather challenging mare. We were on our way home and going across the middle a huge common/ moorland area when the fog came down and enveloped us.
Although there are herds of horses and cattle grazing they normally on opposing sides and we don't tend to encounter them much. I guess the mist may of brought them to higher ground but as we were walking through we were startling them, initially causing a lot of calling/ bellowing, which then led to stampedes of animals running.
I was petrified as could here animals running and calling all around but could nt see due to the mist. Every now and them something would loom up out of the mist at us. My mare stood her ground, built herself up and snorted at them to keep some distance. I would growl at them too. For some of it we got completely surrounded by animals. It was scary.
I had in my head a memory of her owner saying the reason she had given up riding her was on the same section of land she had been using a different track and going through the herd of ponies, her horse did nt like it bucked her off and high-tailed herself back home.
It took about 15 terrifying minutes for us to get across the moors. I could feel she was pretty unsettled by it all and I was thinking the whole time please don't buck me off, or launch yourself into a gallop to try and escape, we walked the whole way I could feel she wanted to run. I think she just totally looked after us both. When we got to the gate at the end I got off and threw my arms around to hug her, I had to peel her off me rather than the other way around. Since that day she has only been a pleasure to ride. Something clicked for us both up there.
 
They do seem to know when you're in trouble and this is no time to play up. Back in summer I was getting a horse in from the field and walking him back to the gate. Field was like a swamp and although I had walked through it okay I thought I'd try a different way. Got my boot stuck in the mud when trying to turn around and then I fell over, not only once but twice! Baring in mind this horse didn't know me bless him he just stood there like a saint until help came.
 
Just the other day. I was getting my gelding out of the incredibly muddy pasture and as we walked down the hill, he stepped on the very back of my rubber boot - just enough to pin me there. I fell face first into 8 inches of very nasty mud. He stopped dead, and let me haul myself up using his halter and then his shoulder, and then he led me to the gate because I couldn't see. It was very sweet.

My mare, who is a rather hot TB, was a handful when she was a four year old but when I had a bad flu and again when I broke a bone in my foot, she'd slow her pace as I was leading her so I could keep up. They are so kind and understanding sometimes.
 
One day on a hack I decided to walk through the gap in the hedge. I had been around both of the fields but not through from one to the other. Little did I know that there was a rather large dip in the ground which I had not seen. Clever Sophie managed to stay on her feet and scramble to the other side but somehow I fell over her offside shoulder. I ended up face down in the dirt with my left foot stuck in my left stirrup which had meant my left leg was stuck in the air. I couldn't reach my foot or move at all. Sophie nuzzled my face to make sure I was okay and stood like a rock till my mum, who was following on foot with the dog, could free me. I was 12 at the time. Every time I've ever fallen off her she has always made sure I was okay and stayed with me. Despite the fact she a cheeky little pony, she has always looked after me. She also once protected my dog from another horse who despite the fence. He went for my dog with teeth bared and Sophie galloped to the fence and reared up in front of my dog to shield her, all 12.3hh of her!
 
My old fjord pony was in a field of mares, he was good boy who didn't bother with them when another gelding was introduced this horse went very riggy and wouldn't let anyone near the group Inc my boy. My friend went to get her mare in and my boy ended up protecting her when the other gelding went nuts and tried to run her out the field. Another time I was jumping in some woods cat leapt a log and I came off with foot stuck in stirrup, I had to completely let him go to get my foot out and trust him not to move. He was a saint and I still miss him terribly. So many tear jerkers on here.
 
Not my own story, but a lovely one featured in the Guardian a few weeks back. A farming lady had to go out into the field to sort out one of her cows and its' calf - the cow turned very protective of its calf and knocked this poor woman over. It had her trapped on the ground and was being very aggressive - she thought her time was up........at this point , her horse came galloping over, and with some well aimed kicks, saw this cow off and then stood protectively over the lady until she was able to get to her feet. Apparently after that, anyone who walked through that particular field was escorted by the horse to make sure they were safe.
Horses - they're awesome sometimes!
 
Suelin said:
Out hacking one day and met a neighbour with a lot of very small children with her. She was trying to gather them up away from the horse and a little boy of about 2/3 broke ranks and came straight for my Arab gelding and wrapped his arms around his leg. I was terrified that my boy would leap into the air and trample the kiddie and said "Do not move Ollie"
he never moved a muscle except to look down at him and then up again as if to say "Isn't Uncle Kind?" Young neighbour and I both had our hearts in our mouths but absolutely no harm done. I think they just know when they have to behave.
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This, my 2 yr old grandson was always kept on the safe side of the gate, four horses milling around in a barn, not being the safest place, however, he followed my niece and grandson to the barn, I went looking for him and found him standing on a grooming box with four large horses loose in the barn, feeling very sick, I suggested to the teenagers, that it wasn't the safest place to be for a 2 yr old, the horses knew he was a baby and were very calm around him. My 15 2hh gelding looks after me, being riddled with arthritis,I usually started on horseback, but usually ended up walking home, when my hands/knees and hip gave up ( Thankyou Tumeric) unable to dismount, my lad would stand perfectly still while my OH helped me to get off, we adopted the western dismount, which made getting off that bit quicker, my gelding will chase off the others which makes me feel safe around him
 
I went to see a good friend who bred percherons to show my friend the horses were in the back field so we walked up to them the beautiful stallion with his ladies and a couple of foals. I had took my youngest who was 3 at the time and never left my side as was a real mommies boy standing munching the ladies and i turned round and my son had gone OMG panic he is standing under the stallion stroking his belly he just stood there while his ladies wondered around please note i am a good mother
 
Concentrating on my OH's Tb colicing, my lad, who was in the barn at the time, was ignored, Tb kept going down across the stable door, TB went down (for the last time) I was scratching his forehead trying to calm him down, when my lad gently touched my hand from the adjoining stable, I remember saying to him, "mams busy just now love", with hindsight, I really believe he was telling me the TB had gone, He grieved badly for his fieldmate, refusing to eat or leave the barn, so much so, I borrowed a pony to keep him company. RIP Ozz, still sorely missed
 
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