Horses you just click with

I love my current horse, but when I sat on him I thought "yes, I can get on fine with this horse, he's comfortable and he'll be a lot of fun". I was right, we get on fine (mostly, though we speak different languages when jumping :rolleyes:) and he is a huge amount of fun. He's fab on the ground and a lovely person to have about. I enjoy riding him but it's not an "obsession" if you know what I mean.

That contrasts with my previous horse who, the moment I sat on him, was "THE ONE". It felt like coming home. Sure we had some downs as well as all the ups (broncing around warmups being his little quirk). But I still woke up every day counting down the hours until I could ride him - seriously. He always tried so hard for me and always seemed to know what I was thinking. We didn't have as much of a connection on the ground - he was a bit tricky at times and a bit high maintenance, but under saddle it was a different story.

I hope one day I'll have that feeling again. People who analogise it to love, I can completely see where you are coming from.
 
TarrSteps said:
Don't you just meet people you like - or don't like - instantly? You might find out or rationalise why you like them later but the initial reaction isn't consciously based in that information.

That said, people notoriously don't always make the best choices in their relationships and it's no different with horses. Some people persist in owning/riding horses that aren't suitable for them because they think somehow that "love" makes up for being able to do right by a horse. Suitability is a different subject - I like my friends but that doesn't mean I expect every one of them to be good at every job. Nor would I want them to be doing jobs for which they are ill suited. If you buy a horse to do a job it'm more like hiring someone -liking them is important, being able to work ŵith them is essential, but they also have to be able to do the task at hand.
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I think this is a really good point... I now have two horses. I adore my big horse but have tried (and failed) over the years to convince him to do dressage, show jump.. everything. I persisted because I wanted him to do it. Last year I gave up and just hunted him (which is all he'd ever done before I got him). End result was a much happier horse AND rider! He has a sharer now who hacks, does farm rides and a bit of flat schooling with him. He still adores hacking and fun rides but he grumbles all the way round the arena when she schools so some things never change! We will probably (hopefully... he's getting on a bit now and creaky) both hunt him a little this coming season. I "click" with him out hunting because he's a demon but as much as I love him, he has simply never *wanted* to do the other jobs and can't be convinced.

I have also known people who are exceptional "matchmakers" - they often know what people want better than the people themselves. Like the human variety they don't force people into relationships they don't want but they can be an objective guiding hand in an emotional situation. Sometimes they've made good matches that looked bad on paper, sometimes they've encouraged someone to look past an initial lukewarm response. Sometimes they just seem to know.
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This sums up the guy I bought my new horse from. I've known him for years, hunted with him and he has always fitted my horse's saddles (various horses). So I know him, but not particularly well. Well enough. When he knew I was horse hunting, he called to say he had a horse he thought would be perfect. Went along, didn't like it in the stable and didn't really like it ridden when I watched their groom ride it. Got on because I felt rude *not* doing so and wasn't keen on it on the flat either, I thought it was too green and sharp. I was going to get off but he encouraged me to jump it. Kept telling me he promised I would love the horse to jump and that he thought we were perfect for each other... I jumped him and loved him. Went back the following day to ride again and by the end of the week, the horse was vetted and at home! Had him nearly 2 months and haven't looked back. Despite the initial lukewarm response, the seller knew we'd suit each other and we've clicked in a way I never have with any other horse. He's just superb in every way, loves to work, takes everything in his stride and is a thoroughly nice person. Had him for a couple of months and been SJ twice already.. took me about 2 years to get that brave on my big horse! And all down to a good matchmaker, I think :)
 
My mare I loved the moment I saw her it was just a look in her eye, she felt like a camel on the flat but over a jump it felt effortless and I needed a horse to get my confidence back, even when she has clearly been in pain she has never tried to hurt me and after some time off with injury even though we can only walk the excitement I feel at being able to ride her is probably silly, but this one just feels special and totally irreplaceable
 
I definitely agree with ''clicking'' as we say. I think even if you are a very good rider (or one of the best!), you wont necessarily get the best out of every horse. I personally never clicked with Bugsy, whereas my mum has clicked with him... Socks (a horse we bought last week), as soon as I sat on him when we first tried him i knew he was 'the one' as we clicked!
 
Could not agree more! For me I had a weird feeling about Cow Pony even before I saw her in the flesh. I got on and for about 10 seconds thought... I'm not sure she walks fast! But then it was like a light bulb moment.

It was suddenly like I was in my favourite armchair and I felt completely at home and as one.

She's green and unbalanced so very different from diva and Finn but for whatever reason it worked!

I even went and tried another horse who in paper should have been the one and it felt so wrong! Went back with Mr W and it was like coming home.

I haven't jumped in 4 years and yesterday I hacked her to a yard near us and jumped a clear round :D never thought I would want to jump ever again...

Chemistry it's there we just can't see it ;)
 
Could not agree more! For me I had a weird feeling about Cow Pony even before I saw her in the flesh. I got on and for about 10 seconds thought... I'm not sure she walks fast! But then it was like a light bulb moment.

It was suddenly like I was in my favourite armchair and I felt completely at home and as one.

She's green and unbalanced so very different from diva and Finn but for whatever reason it worked!

I even went and tried another horse who in paper should have been the one and it felt so wrong! Went back with Mr W and it was like coming home.

I haven't jumped in 4 years and yesterday I hacked her to a yard near us and jumped a clear round :D never thought I would want to jump ever again...

Chemistry it's there we just can't see it ;)
 
I totally agree this can happen - I re-school ex racehorses and the one I got in that everyone wrote off i fell in love with - he's so fun i call him the dartmoor pony (16.3hh TB lol so get some weird looks lol) because he just makes me feel like i'm 5 years old and fearless and ready to bomb around like you used to do on a trusty steed - i've ridden so many over the years that 'look' stunning or have amazing breeding but this chap didn't look anything special but just had that feel and that attitude i love we clicked and now he's stuck here forever lol and he loves it
 
I had an instant click with a horse many years ago. I did not own him but his owner hunted all winter and was happy for me to event him in the summer. From the minute I sat on him it was just right. He went like clock work for me, he never, ever stopped and tried much harder when I was in the plate than did with others. We just really liked each other and I loved every minute of riding him. I felt a million dollars when I rode him and every competition was something I looked forward to like mad. I am looking for a horse at the moment and to find one that came half way close to beautiful Pridey would be a dream come true!
 
yes..

i knew mine was "the one" before i even viewed her... the seller said she also knew and watned to hold her for me :)


i sat on my horse for less than 10 minutes - walk and a little bit of trot and parted with just over £1200 :o

she was the saftest thing going and so genuine :)


didnt have her vetted....nor did i have a yard sorted....but she came home the next day :D

shes "the one" horse i will never replace or let go of as long as shes happy and out of pain :) totally going against the whole "i cant have a field pet".....lol.
 
TarrSteps said:
To clarify, I did not mean you bought him an arthritic hippo just because he liked it, I mean that IF an arthritic hippo had been on offer, you would not have bought it for him as a suitable pony to go on with his jumping simply because he liked it.

Okay? New pony clearly not an arthritic hippo. :)
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Ha ha !!! i love this tarrsteps - i constantly put my foot in my mouth but this was brilliantly cleared up! just gave me such a chuckle well done!

NB new pony is a good choice if B is happy well thats whats important!
 
I bought my horse when he was 5 he's now 13 I had quite a few horses in my lifetime but always sold them on when they were 13 /14 to all very good homes now I am older my boy is staying with me forever ever since I sat on him he has
been a pleasure to own and we get along just fine I now also own a 2 year old which I bought from a friend she is in the next field to me and put this little chap in the paddock next to my boy he found me he is very affectionate and we also get along well I am so enjoying doing the ground work with him never having such a young horse it is a new ball game for me my sister will back him for me .
 
Just read through posts and delighted to read so many posts about others dream arthritic hippos! :D

In the middle of the winter when it is cold and wet (or should that be summer?) I will think back to this post and understand what it is that makes us all keep going.
 
I actually own an arthritic hippo!!

I knew before I even went to see him that he was the one, and so did the seller apparently. My 'Wanted' ad could have been his 'For Sale' ad - it was so close it was uncanny. I saw a video of him running through his repertoire of party tricks, ridden by a kid who wasn't by any stretch of the imagination a dressage rider, and something about the way he was tootling round second guessing what she was asking for, made me go "Awwww". He had a lovely, willing look about him, and I just knew he was Mr Right.
Went to see him, fell in love over the stable door, and at the end of my visit - his owner chucked me his rope, and said "You'll do"!!
He's been home with me for a month now, and although he is a complete plonker, and has squashed me flat on numerous occasions, I still grin like an idiot every time I walk across the field towards him.
 
Mine is like that with the girl who has him now. They totally totally click, he goes better with her than anyone I have ever seen ride him. The ironic thing is she thinks he is good for every rider...he honestly isnt they have a special connecton which is so nice to see!
 
I think you just kind of get a feeling. Everyone has an idea of their 'perfect' horse but actually its more of a feeling when on or around it than anything else. With regards to my current horse, I went out looking for a young horse with competition-potential, I had in my mind a 16.2hh perhaps ISH type but nothing too spindly or sharp as I didnt think I'd suit one. I ended up going to see a very slim (was full of worms we found out) 16hh Lusitano x TB, very green 5yo. I basically fell in love with him when I saw him in the stable looking so miserable and scruffy, I just knew our temperaments matched somehow. He wasn't even very nice to ride, felt like sitting on a ledge he was so narrow and I thought I'd topple off at any moment. But he ended up being a fantastic buy for me, we gelled straight away and I swear he reads my mind.
 
I believe there's some you just click with, some on the ground, some to ride & sometimes both. My pony I just fell for despite logic saying no, & I've never regretted it. Years ago I had a horse that I bought after two years of being his groom. Both my boss, the owner & the bosses wife all were better riders than me by far, but he went better for me than them. Or anyone else that had rode him. He was long & gangly & everyone thought he took a lot of work to gather up on the flat, let alone to jump, but I found him straightforwards. And I usually like more compact types. Xc he was known as a puller, I never experienced it though. I jumped clears sj when better riders had poles down due to his difficulty to gather himself up. He made me look better than I was because he didn't present any of the issues he was known for, not because I managed to overcome them. Conversely another horse on the yard at the time should have been my perfect match, but riding wise I couldn't stand it, for no good reason.
Daughters pony I've had my moments of thinking she's not suitable, but for some reason they've always clicked, on the ground & ridden. The pony is young, fizzy, very forwards going & a very opinionated mare. Although my daughter is past the first ridden stage & does fine on your typical speedy small pony, there are times I have thought the pony would be too much for her. But for some reason it just works, even though in theory it shouldn't. I suppose its as though with hers she rides beyond her actual ability if that makes sense.
Op- very nice pic, good luck with the new partnership.
 
Interesting thread and something close to my heart at the moment. I’ve had lots of horses pass through my hands in one way or another over the years. I’ve liked all of them but only 1 or 2 I could say I’ve truly clicked with. One was a mare I backed and sold for a family member two years ago who is now (gulp) for sale. My head is telling me one thing but my heart is telling me another. Having come to the conclusion such a rapport is rare thing indeed I’m going to see her tomorrow!
 
I totally understand and coming from a family where we all rode and there was a very neat 2 yr age gap most of the way though between cousins I can definitely say that kids and ponies need to click. As someone else mentioned that's much more important for the less bold jockeys but to give a few examples:
My eldest cousins had a pony (Grandad's pony Sunny Jim, who was backed and ridden away by my uncle and behaved as he should) SJ was an angel for eldest cousin Joanne (nervous jockey) didn't like Geraldine (bossy jockey), tolerated Alison (not really a jockey at all!) Was than passed to the boys he loved Allan(good but quiet jockey), took the proverbial out of Col (another good jockey but could be bossy/strong)(who gave up for a while after), then came to me ( I couldn't ride one side of him, I literally couldn't get him to do anything!) then he went to my sister (nervous but capable jockey) who he adored and they did really well into his late 20's.
Another example is my step daughter's pony, she knew after the 3rd time that they didn't suit one another, so I rode her, fettled her up and put her on the market. We had lots of people come to try her, but the people that bought her just clicked from the moment they saw her in the stable (which was hilarious because she was a grumpy boot in the stable!)
Sorry for rambling ;)
 
Tell you what's really sad clicking with a horse that does not belong to you happened to me as a teenager in one of my first jobs very naughty horse evil in some ways but after about three weeks of working I drew the short straw and had to ride him him we loved each other he was in fact a very talented ( i did really know that then )but quirky horse after a while I moved on to further my training on a visit home I learnt they had sent him to the kennels I was horrified I would have had him like a shot.
 
Goldenstar said:
Tell you what's really sad clicking with a horse that does not belong to you
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My "click" happened in Italy last summer... not only does he not belong to me, but he also lives 1500 miles away from me!!

All year I have told people about this wonderful horse and how much I love him. I even worked out the practicalities of buying, transporting him home and keeping him, but sadly I just couldn't afford it.

The reassuring thing is that I know his owner also adores him and does 100% everything in his best interests. He could not have a better home (apart from maybe me... ;) )

I am going back out there in 10 days(!!! yay!) and can't wait to see his owners and him :) (and the rest of the herd too!)
 
I love this thread, I have really enjoyed reading everyones' experiences!

Here's a question - do you and your horse have the same personality traits / the same character - are you one and the same?

I described my horse to someone recently - I said:

"he's really sweet. He is quite introverted - although you wouldn't know it. He looks really relaxed, cool and collected on the outside, but he holds his stress on the inside. He is a master of looking cool. He's really good fun, but I never really know what I'm going to get on the day."

The listener said: "you just described yourself"... I had a moment of shock, then reflection, then acceptance - yes, actually, we are almost the same person! I hadn't noticed it before!!

So, are you and your horse one and the same? :)
 
@measles - the photo is great. I am also amazed that such a young child had "the click" with the second pony (so this gut feeling starts at a young age!)- I'm also really glad as well that you went with it, and bought the one he liked the most :) they look super together, B's face is pure joy :)
 
Baggybreeches said:
I totally understand and coming from a family where we all rode and there was a very neat 2 yr age gap most of the way though between cousins I can definitely say that kids and ponies need to click. As someone else mentioned that's much more important for the less bold jockeys but to give a few examples:
My eldest cousins had a pony (Grandad's pony Sunny Jim, who was backed and ridden away by my uncle and behaved as he should) SJ was an angel for eldest cousin Joanne (nervous jockey) didn't like Geraldine (bossy jockey), tolerated Alison (not really a jockey at all!) Was than passed to the boys he loved Allan(good but quiet jockey), took the proverbial out of Col (another good jockey but could be bossy/strong)(who gave up for a while after), then came to me ( I couldn't ride one side of him, I literally couldn't get him to do anything!) then he went to my sister (nervous but capable jockey) who he adored and they did really well into his late 20's.
Another example is my step daughter's pony, she knew after the 3rd time that they didn't suit one another, so I rode her, fettled her up and put her on the market. We had lots of people come to try her, but the people that bought her just clicked from the moment they saw her in the stable (which was hilarious because she was a grumpy boot in the stable!)
Sorry for rambling ;)
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That is fascinating, Baggybreeches. Did he go in the same way when being cooperative or less so, depending on the rider. What I'm trying to ask is was he always naughty the same way and did he go in a consistent fashion for those he liked? Just wondering how much the riders and relationship were reflected in him within the relationships
 
Goldenstar said:
Tell you what's really sad clicking with a horse that does not belong to you happened to me as a teenager in one of my first jobs very naughty horse evil in some ways but after about three weeks of working I drew the short straw and had to ride him him we loved each other he was in fact a very talented ( i did really know that then )but quirky horse after a while I moved on to further my training on a visit home I learnt they had sent him to the kennels I was horrified I would have had him like a shot.
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How utterly sad :(
 
Andiamo said:
I love this thread, I have really enjoyed reading everyones' experiences!

Here's a question - do you and your horse have the same personality traits / the same character - are you one and the same?

I described my horse to someone recently - I said:

"he's really sweet. He is quite introverted - although you wouldn't know it. He looks really relaxed, cool and collected on the outside, but he holds his stress on the inside. He is a master of looking cool. He's really good fun, but I never really know what I'm going to get on the day."

The listener said: "you just described yourself"... I had a moment of shock, then reflection, then acceptance - yes, actually, we are almost the same person! I hadn't noticed it before!!

So, are you and your horse one and the same? :)
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You know, I do think in B's case you might be right but I couldn't say for sure until we know the pony better. A's best chum, Saffy, is nowhere like him though being impetuous and flamboyant. Another very interesting thing to bear in mind..

And thanks for the positive comments. We're off SJ today for their first time together. Just a small unaffiliated show but I will be acting out my nervous mother role!
 
Topaz and I just clicked from the first time I tried her. Feel like if someone had made a horse for me, it would have been her.
She's grumpy and defensive on the ground, but will try her heart out for you when you ride her. She can however think she knows best and run us into tight spots sometimes... :)
I admire her grumpy toughness, she's an alpha mare, and brave as a lion competing.
Think there are definitely similar character traits between the two of us and I kind of understand her when she's a stroppy cow! :p
I like alpha mares and my retired mare Rosie is the same, but not quite as brave or stroppy! :)
 
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