Highland Ponies.

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Paris1

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I really want one, but alas no experience of them first hand. I am told a great alrounder, sometimes a bit strong. Any information including the best lines, places to get one etc please!
I would be looking at buying a youngster unbacked, maybe in a year.
 
HELLOOOOOOOOOO

all sane people want a highland

Fergs - my 5 y/old - broken / schooled by me (i.e. v forgiving!) - lovely, willing, charming pony. Can take the mickey and be a spooky sod, but never strong (and only ever in a snaffle atm)

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Morrich Darach - my 2 year old - the Morrich stud has lots of lovely unbroken ponies, y'knw ;)

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IME Highlands are brilliant ponios, the one I used to look after and ride was a sweetheart, kind, willing, could turn her hooves to almost anything I asked, forgave my (lets face it) MANY mistakes, can live out in all weathers with no rugging required (in most cases), and are incredibly hardy. She never took off with me or tried to buck me off, she never even nibbled me! The only downside to her was that she spooked at everything out hacking but I think that gave me more experience and therefore more confidence as a rider back then. If I could find her (if she's still on the go) I'd attempt to buy her because I just loved her soooo much! If I'd been offered a Highland before I got my cobby boy I'd have jumped at the chance!
 
Highland owner!

As JFTD said... any sane person wants a highland!! -- Although you find you start to lose your sanity... :rolleyes:

Brilliant wee ponies, they each have their own character, and 99% of them are very forgiving!
Bought my little fella as a sat on two year old, most insane decision of my life considering I'd been riding less than a year :o

The pudding is bursting with character, and bursting at the belly.. even in the middle of winter. He is independent, very strong minded.. we went through the 3 year old stage of--"I'm going that way.. HUMAN YOU ARE COMING WITH ME!"
--Thankfully we are over this stage.

They are the most fabulous equines to hit this planet, I could not love my little Hipo anymore.

http://www.highlandponysociety.com/index.php?option=com_adsmanager&Itemid=43

^ Great sales place for "Ready to break" youngsters ;)

I completely recommend getting yourself a highland! Such versatile and safe(99% of the time) wee beautys! But if you are wanted something that behaves... well :rolleyes::rolleyes::D:D

Whitefield and Craignetherty are brilliant lines, my pudding is "Euan of Crainetherty" bred of the chairman of the HPS (feels so posh!!) :P:P
 
I will vouch for JFTD's ponies. They are both lovely. Fergs even coped with me riding him, albeit briefly, and dafthoss in the same day without batting an eyelid which I think is a great advert for the level headed nature of any five year old. :)

Of course JFTD should take some of the credit for his lovely attitude too!
 
jesstickle said:
I will vouch for JFTD's ponies. They are both lovely. Fergs even coped with me riding him, albeit briefly, and dafthoss in the same day without batting an eyelid which I think is a great advert for the level headed nature of any five year old. :)

Of course JFTD should take some of the credit for his lovely attitude too!
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:D I think it's a testament to his attitude that he's put up with me all these years, actually :o
 
Looks like a lovely stud. How did your pony get down south?I am in Kent.
Anyone know of any at riding schools so I can have a go?
 
JFTD said:
:D I think it's a testament to his attitude that he's put up with me all these years, actually :o
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I don't think your ponies 'put up' with you. I've never met such a happy chilled out bunch. If I die and get reincarnated I'm coming back as one of your horses! :D
 
jesstickle said:
I don't think your ponies 'put up' with you. I've never met such a happy chilled out bunch. If I die and get reincarnated I'm coming back as one of your horses! :D
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You want to be starved, left naked in the snow and made to carry excessive amounts of human around :eek: MADNESS!

(thanks though :o I do think they like me somewhere, deep down :D)
 
I have come full circle having grown up riding highlands as I didnt have my own pony but there were plenty of HiPo's around to blag rides on. I was fortunate enough to practically teach myself to ride and jump, totally unsupervised on a lovely mare called Islay. First day I tacked her up I had to sit with a copy of Horse&Pony mag to see how to do it lol. I had my first canter ond jump on her in open fields with not a soul around and she never put a foot wrong.


I then went off all things floofy and hairy in my twenties and sought out fine looking sport horse types....


it didnt last;) Im back to loving my natives and now have a Sec D but would have another HiPo in a heartbeat. They can be bolshy and strong but so can any horse, IMHO when you get a good one you get a real gem. A neighbour of mine has a whitefield mare that her non riding son has backed and she is a doll!

JFTD lovely ponies!
 
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JFTD's boys are lovley! As JT said fergs had both me and her on and we both popped a little jump on him and he was fab. I want fergs attitude in my pony and as for the little D he is a sweety, even if he is a little obsessed with my yellow po.
 
I ride two. One is the most dopey, safe, sweet mare. The other is a spooky sod, stubborn and fiery, he's on a calmer haha :( Although he's not at all strong.

Both are so full of character and charming too :)
 
I re-broke one a couple of years, say 'rebroke', I just got on it even though it hadn't been ridden in 2 years and rode it round a 10 acre field. It was a darling, and not strong or spooky. They will literally do a bit of anything and seem to have good brains on them (they think about things), but are clever so can be cheeky.
This one however was very fat even though it didn't get fed, they tend to carry weight a bit! And are very hairy, I don't think you need to spend on money on rugs!
If wanting to backi it yourself, you are best having something like a highland as they mainly are the oppsite of a flighty, stressy horse, and probs will be very easy to do! :)
 
I do love highlands I have met some saints and some not so saintly but still great fun :p

I have known quite a few with stifle problems however I don't know if this is particulary common of the breed or just these individuals which were a tad on the over-weight side which may have exacerbated things.
 
I will second what EVERYONE on here has said.
I hated highlands with a passion, one came in for breaking and I bought her :D

She turns her hoof to everything, everyone that meets her loves her but my god, does she get into trouble. A VERY clever breed.

I'd love another one :) although I do disagree that its sane peopel that buy them, I think you have to be INSANE to own one :D:D:D
 
I have been owned by a highland since last November :) He hadn't been ridden for a few months before his owner got him out of the field and never put a foot wrong.

Our first hack out when he came home was through a busy town with narrow roads. He met motor cycles, amublances, bin lorries etc and didnt flinch at all.

On the ground he can try it on sometimes. He is a big, heavy lad and knows it. He tested me a bit at first, but is great now. As soon as he hears me say 'shift, yer fat get', he moves back a few feet :D

Fantastic ponies, can highly recommend!
 
I love hipos!
I ride one regularly and she is a firey little beast! She knows what she wants and she will make sure she lets you know what that is, but never in a nasty way. I just laugh at her :)
A good friend has the most amazing Hipo gelding, I am actually a bit in love with him I think :o he does anything asked of him without issue, but he is ruled by one thing and one thing only.... his belly. My friend is going on holiday this week so I finally get to have a sit on him :)
 
A woman I know has 2 highlands both in their mid twenties. They are brilliant all rounders and I often see her down at our local training night popping them over a course of jumps.

My mare is a cross between a Connemara and Highland. She isn't as heavy as a Highland, but has a brilliant character although a little bit cheeky :D
 
I knew a lovely one at my yard once. He was very strong, and if he wanted to go, he went. You could tell when he was ready as he'd start snorting like a train. :) Never bucked or reared. But hated noise - fireworks night was a nightmare for him and sudden helicopters! But he was as safe as anything to handle.
We'd get the little kids practice grooming and tail bandaging on him and he'd let them clamber all over him and I even clambered under him once (don't shoot me!)
I'd def consider getting one. So much fun!
 
Louis said:
Call Dinty at Brownbread stud in Kent
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^ This, I've been to Brownbread, albeit years ago, and they had some gorgeous youngsters at the time, I think she used to breed them, don't know if she still does. Brownbread used to be near Robertsbridge in East Sussex but may have moved into Kent, I don't know anything current I'm afraid.

Good luck with getting one, I've always loved the Highlands and would have loved to have one. :)
 
Mine was an arse with attitude, he chucked me off and broke my leg in 9 places (freak accident) :(
He was beautiful though and I miss him, I would have another as they are a wonderful breed.
 
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