How did you end up with your horse of a lifetime??

miss_c said:
I really do believe that Genie was 'meant to be'.

I was selling my polo mare as I could no longer afford to play polo, and started browsing on Horsemart. Saw a 14.2hh welsh cob advertised and thought 'that looks decent, too small though, but no harm in enquiring'. Before I knew it I'd arranged a viewing, tried her and fallen in love. Agreed the price and arranged a vetting. I had gone with the thoughts that she was too small, but there had to be a first horse I viewed and she ticked the other boxes, I never expected to love her as much as I did.

The day before Genie's vetting my polo mare was killed in a trailer accident. I had no idea whether to go ahead with the vetting, but had a call from my instructor that night who firstly asked me if Mazzie had been insured, when I said yes she told me not to worry about that, and then asked me what I was going to do about 'the other one'. I said I didn't know and she said 'you were going to have the vetting anyway, go ahead and if it passes bring it straight home'.

Long story short, I went ahead, Genie passed, and my cousin picked her up in her lorry that night.

I had hell bonding with Genie (I remember being in the stable in tears simply because she wouldn't pick a foot up!) but I persevered as it wasn't her fault and she is most definately my horse of a lifetime. Almost losing her very recently has brought this home to me more than ever. We've gone from jumping less than 1ft to jumping 3'3", from struggling to do a decent walk/trot test to competing on RC teams, and she's gone from 14.2hh to 15hh.

Wouldn't be without my Genie.
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I have followed your Genie posts with interest for a long time. And your pics and show reports...you certainly seem to have a great partnership. And im so glad that Genie seems to be on the mend. a horse of a lifetime is certainly a special thing and they come from the place you never expect them. I certainly hated the idea of even having feelings for another horse when i put my difficult one out on loan, there was so many tears but when you find that horse and the bond emerges its amazing. i just wish my mare was 7 not 17!
 
babymare said:
mine was by chance gone to yard to see a horse daughter had been asked to ride/compete and in this dark dingy stable at the back was baby weaving for england eyes glazed . I saw her and thought my god you poor love - wowed at how beautiful she was and there was something that said "im a good horse really" I bought the "bitch" the unrideable one and well the rest is history - my inspiration my rock my friend - she gives and trys so hard to please - and yep I have ridden her galloped jumped but most of all I adore her - my horse of my life my little mate always there with her big big dark pools of her eyes who as seen me through some bad bad times - ok now she is very much a field ordanment now given her eyes but am i bothered not at all as she owes me nothing lol - can you ask for more ?:) xx
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That is a huge point, no if a horse gives you their all, what more can you ask? They put so much trust and faith in us, and they give us all they have got, so when the time comes to be a field ornament then sometimes its their time to be rewarded for what they have given us
My mare is on permanant loan, has been owned by her current owner for 10 yrs, before that by 1 owner, everyone loves her to bits, when she retires she will go back to her owners field with her other horses, if she doesnt have a horse at the time i will keep her till the rest of her days as a companion. Even if i have to starve to pay for her livery, she will be kept like a queen, she has given everyone the time of thier lives, she deserves the best.
 
I was on my midday break - I worked split shifts at a racing stables and having lunch with a friend who had just got her latest NZ Horse & Pony magazine delivered. I was looking through it while she was making some tea. They have a section where you can advertise your horse for sale for free if it is $1000 or less.

There was an advert for a Purebred Clydesdale filly just weaned and $1000.

When I showed the ad to my friend she asked if I'd like to see it. OK she said - we'll go first thing in the morning, so I phoned and booked an appointment.

We drove for over three hours ending up on gravel roads travelling up and down mountains. Finally we arrived at a station (v big farm) in the middle of nowhere and met the owners.

The filly we were told was the last foal of a Clyde mare they had had for many years and recently PTS as she was in her late 20's and had not wintered well. Her sire also purebred Clyde ran with his mares out on the hills around the station.

The filly had been brought in a week earlier, been handled a little and tied up - but that was all. We then all climbed on board a quad bike and began a rather scarey trip accross the farm through hilly and boggy areas.

My first sight of my filly was about a kilometre away - she was in a small paddock off the stock yards - she was watching us she was stunning, so much pressence. She was with another youngster, a part clyde. She was chased around so I could see her move and then run in to a yard so I could get a closer look. It was love at first sight, and despite being barely handled was curious as to who we were.

I paid for her on the spot - not something I normally do. We arranged for her to brought up to me the following week. The seller then told me the phone had been ringing off the hook since my call - I was so lucky - I love this horse to bits and she will, I hope be with me all her life.

By the time we had travelled 10kms I had named her Sarah - hebrew for princess - which she definately is and reminds me so at times. By the time we were home I'd decided that her show name would be Serenity - she has this presence around her that seems to remove all my stress and tension, I always leave her feeling better. Then in the spring when her hair winter/foal coat finally came out there on the inside of one knee was a love heart of white.
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She's been a wonderful mum to her two foals - both have her lovely temperement.
 
My first pony was outgrown and on loan, I'd just left my job of 2 years filled with horses I loved including what I believed was my horse of a lifetime. Just happened to meet a couple of ladies riding and offered to help them out with exercise, on of the womens horses was a young gypsy cob that I thought I could bring on for her to sell, be a good advertisement of my skills and maybe people would start sending me horses to work on etc. However I can't let her sell Rosie, she is perfect I trust her with my life, so am now slowly buying her, luckily her owner is a very good friend and is in no rush for money. But while Rosie is only 4 I just know her and trust her and can see her with me till the end of her days, she is truly the one for me. I always imagined I'd have a chestnut tb/arab, here I am with a piebald gypsy cob
 
I'd had 4 years break from riding and then decided to book into a riding school (20 miles away as was only one that could book me in) for a hack! Then I saw him, exracer who they'd had for 2 years up for sale! Had him on trial and took him! Was only once I took him away did I realise he'd been doped (wasn't vetted!), lots of issues and they'd not turned him out the whole time they'd had him! 4 years on, we've learnt a lot from each other, got a strong bond and he's my best friend!!!
 
I feel really lucky to have had 3 I've felt that way about.
I got carmen when I was 15. She was too small (15hh) and too old (15 then). But we did loads and she really taught me a lot. The only horse in the world I'd trust to jump. My sister evented her too. She's now losing her eyesight, down to about 50% vision, needs hardfeed every day and her teeth brushed. She's still got a job as a granny and she owes us nothing...we owe her tons! Shes 27 now and will be with us til the last.
About the same time as I got carmen my aunt bred a horse for us to share. Tulla was lovely hann x tb by accondy. She was such a great person. I showed her inhand and we broke her. She was honest and brilliant...but only for her 'family'. She'd only just been broken when she slipped in the pen and fractured her pelvis. After 4 weeks at the vet school she was pts. Find it so hard to talk about her even now.
The third is tulla reincarnated. My aunt and my mum bred one to sell using the same mare but put to balou du rouet. Mya was born and we both fell for each other. I bought Her from them using cash and furniture! She's only 2 now but is soo like her sister. She's a one person horse and although shes big and a wild child she's my girl. And we still have good old carmen to put her in her place when required.
 
Lottie was getting old at 22 and I wanted something a bit different. Settled on 14 to 15.2 as I could only afford a youngster and I figured if I screwed up backing it some teenager would take it on as a cheap project and if it turned out too quiet it would go as a family hack. Found a spotted advertised in admag juss over my budget. Went to see her and it was love at first glance. She is, 9 years later, the love of my life. Incidentally lottie only fully retired this spring and was galloping around the countryside untill a year or so ago quite happily! I obviously didn't actually need another horse. Maybe it was just fate.
 
well my first mare came to the yard where i was working by a loan agreement ,the dealer had with the riding school in 1983, she prove to spooky in the end was then sold but returned to yard as children had been fighting over her. Well my parents bought her then and when i moved obviously she came with me the rest was history she stayed with me till 25 when she was PTS due to stroke.:( in 1995.

My other mare I spotted in Horse and Hound 1989 ( I still have the magazine and the advert:D) but when my boyfriend and I decided to actually phone it was too late someone else was buying her. Next morning we got a call to say the instructor thought the 15 month old was too much for her client. The owner had my number and called me down to wales we went the rest was history she is still with me 21 years later. I have other horses but these are extra extra special :)
 
I bought the Ginger Ninja by accident - went to look at a 4 yr old at a dealers when the hunt lorry came back. GN was sytematically dismantling it - the dealer then announced he was going 'straight to the kennels' as he was a nutter. GN came off the lorry and was my actual dream horse (17hh liver chestnut). Bought him on the spot and had 4 months of hell, 1 year of heaven, then 5 years of hell getting him through KSS, arthritus, bad saddles etc. He is now (at 13) turned into my dream horse. He will never be a dressage star (you want to see his crazy 3-legged canter!!!) but he is the biggest fun you could have on a horse.

The big brown nag was a bargain-basement buy from the local newspaper. First horse I saw, clearly had issues and I decided I didnt want another problem child. Saw about another 7 or 8 and couldnt get him out of my head. He has been very trying with lots of issues but when it all goes right, he is incredible and the sort of horse I could never hope to afford. Now trying to get him through the other side of KSS but I feel very privileged to have 2 such wonderful horses. Both quirky but definately 2 in a million!!
 
OFG said:
Started riding for a local woman who had a couple of hunters. Only by chance saw her one day and was horrified when she said she had booked one in to be shot as he was lame :eek:

Offered to buy him for meat money and didn't care if he came sound or not, he could be a companion for my mare who happened to be in foal at the time.

That was back in 1995ish. He came sound within a few weeks, back into work in 6 weeks and didn't look back.

He's now 36 and I have only just stopped riding him myself as he is a bit stumbly at times and I just didn't want to push it. He still gives lessons to my 9 year old and will come out for hacks occasionally being led off one of the ponies. 4 months ago he would still pull like a train out in the fields and want to jump the hedges :)

If I could work out how to upload a pic of him I would :confused::o
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ha ha, worked out how to upload images. Here's my old boy, taken April 2009. He's lost a little bit of top line since this was taken but still looks blooming good :) Love my baby.

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I was looking at the time, But the first time I tried him I told my friend he was not what I wanted. he was a little fizzy and too green. Couldn't trot in a straight line, leaped into canter nearly taking your nose out:rolleyes:

On the way home said friend said yes BUT what did he actually do wrong?? I couldn't answer so I went back the next day and tried him again with a different set of eyes. Bought him home 2 days later. (its funny we both have horses chosen by the each other lol)

He is an amazing horse now!! Never spooks, jumps what ever you put in front of him. Comes to call, I can ride him just from my voice. Lunge him in an open field over XC jumps in a head collar.

Ride him bareback in a headcollar with my crutch under my arm, clamber on very badly from anything. He never bats an eye

Plus he is a lovely quality moving horse :D
 
Am still looking? I had my horse of a lifetime when I was a teenager for 13 years until he broke his leg in a horrible riding accident. I have a lovely (but very quirky) little horse now who I will never sell and I adore but unfortunately he will never come close to my Shadow. :( :(
 
I had a pony called Jimmy when I was 13 and he was lovely very sweet but we never really clicked and it resulted in me falling off and breaking my elbow. I have quite a severe hip disability which effects my balance and riding ability anyway so it really knocked my confidence for six.
I decided at that point that I didnt really want to ride but still wanted to be around the horses my therapy so my wonderful amazing Dad took it up so we could get something he could ride and I could handle and cuddle.
We sold Jimmy and then started looking it took a long time and we saw lots but then our Riding instructor saw this tiny little 2 line advert in the Farmers Guardian and my Dad called left messages for about 5 days and he was just giving up when the people finally called him back. This was to be the last one we were going to see till the end of the Winter (now beginning of December). When he finally got to talk to them they advised they had some other guy come to see her who had battered her to get her into the carriage harness when she wouldnt accept it and he had the same name as my Dad so where calling to say they wouldnt sell her to him and realised it was a different person.
My Dad arranged to take me to see her on the 14th December 2002. We got there and it was this really ramshackle place with the stables made out of containers sandwhiched between a canal and railway arches.
The only place to try my beautiful girl was along a track hacking out so my Dad got on and talk her for a wander and was on his way back up and told me to get on with a great big smile on his face so I did and just as I walked under the railway arch the Inter-City express came over the top I completely panicked froze and screamed and she didn't move a muscle I looked at my Dad he turned to the lady and said how much deposit do you want.
A week later she arrived home and has been more than a horse of a lifetime has given me the confidence and love to make me into the person I am now. She took me County in-hand showing and always looked after me and took my Dad out on Farm Rides, Fun Rides, Beach Rides and all sorts of things.

I owe my Ellie the world and its actually making me cry now thinking about just how much I love her. She is 20 and still giving people the wonderful experiences she gave me under my watchful eye. We nearly lost her to Colic last year and it was one of the worst nights of my life when we took her into Leahurst. I do have 7 others and love them all dearly but there will never be another Ellie. Sorry for the essay but so proud of my Princess.
 
I'd sold my horse before I went to uni & moved from rural Hampshire to London after I graduated. Used to buy H&H & 'window shop'. Hadn't ridden for maybe 5 years but decided to go & see some unbacked youngsters I saw advertised (a job lot from a stud in the west country that had been sent to a dealer in Bledlow Ridge). Before I had a chance to think, I'd become the owner of a 4yo TB x ID chestnut mare. Didn't even have a livery yard lined up. I've still got her (& the stunning chestnut daughter she had when she retired) 26 years later. :)
 
Lost my loan horse to age and infirmity, then kept seeing the same ad in a local free mag, so rang and asked what it was like and why it didn't seem popular - turned out it was 25, which put most people off. More fool them! The people advertising him were very active Pony Clubbers who had taken him on loan but had quickly realised he would prefer a slightly less full diary of events, they were wonderfully honest (would he be capable of a half day's hunting? You bet!) and I fell in love with him when I saw him at the end of their drive. 11 years on, it hasn't all been plain sailing (he's quirky) but he's taught me so much and he's here for life (field ornament now but hey, he deserves it...)
 
I was looking for two yard cats for college, went to animal concern, realised they still had a horse there that I tried a year previously, thought about trying him again for a happy hacker for the summer whilst my youngster was still young. E-mailed them, got told about another horse they had, tried her instead, had her on loan for the summer, then permanent loan... then she ended up in my name and here we are today :)
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