How did you find your one in a million horse?

every horse is the horse of a life time - just they're all different!

my first pony was - she was the best you could ever learn to ride on.
my second pony was - he taught us so much, and got tougher as we got better.
my welshie was -he'd been badly treated and it was 2 years before he let my dad catch him, but he would come to me, eventually though he'd do anything for you if you asked right - and i taught him to jump, we were both 11.
my warmblood was - he wrecked my confidence, and we both fought back to get things right.
the lad now is - he's ace, go anywhere, do anything, lets 9 yr old kids ride him in a snaffle and makes me hunt in a double bridle, OH learnt on him, and hunts him.

none of them will ever be 'replaced' and they're all in my memories forever.
 
I bought him 18months ago unbroken, the first horse i went to see. I told myself if he wasn't right he would be sold at a profit, lucky for both of us he is turning into my absolute perfect horse. Now at 5 is a bit of a star who is quiet enough to live at my parents house and sharp enough to have a bit of an edge out competing and give me a plenty to think about! Only things i would change would be for his rugs to last a little longer!! and i am looking forward to him being a little easier when his buddy leaves him at a competition.

Have to add i have ridden hundreds of horses over the years and a few have just worked their way into my heart and i would have done anything to keep them if i could. I did with one such horse, he was bought with my heart, i love him dearly and still have him but he is not happy competing and is far from my horse of a lifetime!! I have tried to put him out on loan but nobody else appears to be able to ride him and he bucks them off and ends up back with me!! My young horse however was bought with my head and there wasn't really that instant bond, it has however built up over time and no way is he for sale.

The moral of this story is it is so easy when horse hunting to let your heart rule your head but this rarely works for either horse or rider. Be honest with what you really want and stick to it, good luck, your perfect horse is out there!
 
I made a list of what I wanted in a horse, and one turned up that fitted the bill - I could deal with the things he's not so fab about because he did the things I wanted.

I was ruthless and pretty detached about it though - it wasn't until earlier this year after I'd owned him for 2.5 years that I decided I really liked him!

I went out looking for something that would do the job, with the idea in my head that if whatever I bought didn't, it'd be for sale. Mine did find me to a certain extent though as he didn't even get as far as being advertised before I bought him.

I agree with RachelFerd though - no such thing as one horse of a lifetime, I have no doubts that should I need to, I would be able to find one just as good as him - after all, I know exactly what I am looking for now, and look at how many pros ride a string of v similar horses....
 
Thanks everyone. I think my criteria can stretch quite far really. This is my list so far:

14.2 to 17hh
4 to 20yrs
Sane but fun
Capable of doing BD elementary, 2'6 SJ and HT, sponsored rides
Has a little bit of experience of shows/competitions
Hacks reasonably sensibly in/out of company

The only things i don't really like as a general rule are full TB's and coloureds with a lot of white or blue eyes

As Jo said I am partial to greys and ID x types
 
I agree totally SC - it's not so much 'horse of a lifetime at first sight' just that you find something that will do the job. And hopefully do the job fairly easily. It was so much that I 'loved' Ferdie when I tried him, just that it was really obvious that he would do the job (was bought for intro eventing - has made it up to intermediate-just)

There is no doubt I could have found hundreds of similarly good horses, and probably have got on ok with most of them given time - I could probably have found a horse much better than ferd, but equally I could have done a hell of a lot worse. He was inexpensive as they go, and from a trustworthy seller - there was nothing to be concerned about.

When looking for Tia I can't say I was very fussy - figured she would be a fun project, was definitely sane, and would be able to do low level eventing.

I don't think I'm really lucky to pick two very good ones in a row, I think I've just been fairly sensible, haven't over-horsed myself and have picked horses that enjoy doing the things I want to do. Before I got Tia I tried 3 in the space of a week which would have been equally ok - picked tia cos she was the cheapest
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I think it helps that I don't have confidence issues day to day (am a wimp about competitive showjumping though!) and therefore am not likely to buy something I'm going to end up scared of.
 
I disagree that there is no such thing, when I went to see Netty from an ad in H&H I fell head over heels on sight. She spooked and bucked when I tried her, reared in the vetting and failed the flexion test. I couldn't get my money out fast enough, owned her for 18 wonderful years until she died and never regretted buying her for a moment.

The next one came on loan. I liked her when I tried her and she grew on me over the next year. The owner decided to sell her after 18 months and I bought her. She is wonderful and i love her to pieces now. I trust her completely. I wouldn't sell her for any money.

My young mare, I liked when I tried her and she is easy, beautiful etc etc but 20 months later I am only fond of her, nothing more. I somehow doubt it will ever be more than that sadly

There have been others of course over the years but these are the most important/present ones!

Do hope you find your perfect horse!
 
I think Pip will be- I can't say I looked at him and fell in love at first sight- but through everything we have done we have built a very strong bond.
Good luck on the horse quest
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I found my first horse of a lifetime when I was 16 and he was a two year old in a field full of other two year olds. I was there to look at a filly, but he came walking straight over and began nuzzling my coat like I was there purely to give him attention, I was smitten and we had a brilliant time together for the next five years..(before I ruined him by being a young foolish idiot!)
The second one actually belongs to my daughter, her smelly pony came from a small world incident. replied to an add in the national free ad pages and it turned out her kid was in the same school as mine! He is a fantastic pony and worth his weight in gold!
 
I bred him
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He is just the most amazing horse. He has taught me so so much and forced me to change so many things. LOL. A real star.

He is my mirror.
 
I told everyone I knew what I wanted and was quite literal about it. I gave an honest budget and said I wouldnt settle for anything less than what I'd described.
Someone I trust found him for me.
I went along and when i first saw him he pinned his ears back and turned his bum on me. Bingo!
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Out for a short hack and a travelling fair / circus thing went by and he didnt bat an eyelid.

he came home 3 days later.
 
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Jo what you and Bodey have is exactly what i want!! You just have that knack of knowing exactly what you want though. I guess always having horses loaned/given to me I've never had to decide what i really really want - that decision has never been mine - even with Ru to a certain extent

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I was given my first horse, in my siggy and he is perfect but completely and utterly imperfect at the same time but there is trust 100%. His old owner said 'that horse is gooey over you' which always makes me smile.
The horse I shared before then I didnt get on that well with but when I gave him up I could say jump and he would come back with ' how high?' so I suppose they do change , but we must change and adapt to them Im sure .
You will find him out there!
 
I got my one in a million horse as the free part of a 'buy one get one free' from a friend who was becoming too old to look after his pets. My dad, totally clueless about horses bought them as I had known the littler of the two since he was a foal.

They were both six when my dad gave me the call to say he had bought them, and I hated both at first, they totally took the p!ss out of me as I was only 9.

Determination and a lot of reading up and researching later I went on to sell Romany, the carthorse after jumping him round 1.50s with ease and winning every showjumping comp we went to.

He was my one in a million without a doubt and I would do anything to have him back.
 
I guess I bought about 30 or 40 horses and chose the best 3 for myself. These 3 I have no intention of selling, but you never know; but I can't imagine ever selling Jet as he is a terrific horse which is why he is still here almost 4 years later. I can't imagine selling Golden as she has that something special about her, such a kind mare. I am very very sure I'll never sell Ezzy; having a foal who almost dies always gives you a huge tie. I've had him nearly 4 years too and I think he's here to stay.
 
I took a chance on the 3rd horse i'd tried. He was a hat rack with a nice face and decent conformation.

I didn't really know what I was looking at if i'm honest, and my 'knowledgable friend' who did was on holiday in France. He was the antithesis of what I was looking for - very young (3), very big (16.2hh) and very green (just backed, no steering). And I bought him from a dodgy dealer!

By some small miracle he's turned out to have masses of potential, a lovely jump and decent breeding (Zangersheide bred with Ramiro lineage from both parents). Oh, and he's a really lovely person.
 
Pickle is my perfect, one in a million horse. You probably know a fair bit about him. You are not asking too much! took me 9 months to find pickle!!!! in the end his owner replied to a wanted ad I placed. It was worth the wait definetly.
 
After buying a nappy WB and then a second horse with behavioural issues, I had almost given up on finding a halfway decent horse, let alone my "horse of a liftetime". My OH encouraged me to keep looking though and I decided to research native breeds. I read about them all and decided that the Highland pony was the one for me.

I found Nelly on the Highland pony website (with the help of a HHO member!) and bought her sight unseen from Scotland. As soon as she walked off Gillies' big, racehorse transporter and onto the yard, I fell in love and she is truly the best horse I've ever owned or loaned. She's a safe ride for my novice OH but with a more experienced rider she is a whizzy little thing. We've done a sponsored ride, in-hand and ridden showing and a bit of dressage so far and I hope to do more next year. I love my pony and I hope that you find your dream horse very soon
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My horse is one in a million and I will never sell her. She wasn't what I was looking for but I just knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that she was the one I would be taking home with me. It took about 30 seconds for me to realise! I don't know why I knew... one of those things. I don't regret buying her for a second and I love her to pieces
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You will just know
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I second this. I tried masses of horses and didn't fall for anything. Went to see my mare, she was tied up to a post and resting a leg looking like a donkey! But she was so kind and gentle and when I rode her I just knew she was the one for me - I only walked, trotted and cantered on both reins and that was it. I have had her nine years, she has been a star in all ways and has now produced a stunning foal for me. She will never leave me.

Here she is:

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and here is her foal;
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You will find your horse in a million, it might just take a little time.
 
I consider both my horses to be my horses of a life time, I found both of them by accident.

The first one is my cob who I’ve had for 7 years on the first of Jan, he can from Lynn Russell. I originally rang up about a cob called Hagrid but he was sold so she send me the details of two others she had, a black one and a grey on, I didn’t like the white one at all from the Pic’s but liked the look of the black one so went up to have a look, as soon as she pulled the black one out of the stable I knew he wasn’t for me, but then I caught the grey out of the corner of my eye and liked the look oddly enough, so asked for a sit, as soon as I sat on him I knew he was the one…. We had him vetted and have never looked back. We have done a bit of everything over the years and he is now happily hacking with my mum and doing some local show with me.

My other horse I have only had a year, I had, had a youngster who I got when he was 6 months, he had always been a pain in the bum, naughty and evil!. He’s always pushed me and my confidence but it wasn’t until I backed him and he went over on me that I knew it had gone too far… he was sent away to boarding school, I did have him back but it had hit my confidence more than I realize as I was at the point of not wanting to get on my cob!. So he was send off to sell and the search began for a new one…I trawled the nets for days and found one I like a few hundred miles away, we went to see it and liked it, had it vetted, it failed miserably!!.. so back to trawling the net again!... I then came across a really old ad, liked the look but wasn’t holding out much hope of it still being for sale!. Well he was, when we arrived I couldn’t believe y eyes, he was skinny, had rain scaled you name it he looked awful!, he looked like a full TB, he was an ISH!!, but we watched him being ridden, he was so naught napping, refusing jumps, not what you want when you have no confidence! Anyway the time came for me to jump on, my mum didn’t even think I would.. but I did and as soon as I felt his trot I fell in love!.. a few long days later he was vetted, a few nervous hours passed and we heard he had passed!!, we brought him home and again have never looked back!. What was odd tho was the place we got him from had a website on the net.. I looked for it after we got oska and I have never to this day found it again, it’s like it was never there!. Odd!.

They are out there you just have to look and you’ll know!.
 
Oh she is gorgeous - she's almost the spitting image of my mare who is out on loan. She was so close to being my horse in a million but by the time i got her she had a bit of attitude problem with work and you couldn't ask her you had to tell her!! I'm a quiet rider and it just never truly suited me

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I've been lucky enough to have two. My first pony was on loan to me for 2 years before we bought him and was my world.

I love all my horses that we have now, but one in particular was just meant to be mine. Could never put it into words, but the second I set eyes on him I just knew it was meant to be. He's far from my easiest horse for various reasons but it's been an amazing journey and I wouldn't change anything about him for the world.

So never settle for second best, if the feeling isn't right don't go there. And if it is then do. I think in your heart of hearts you just know quite honestly.
 
I rang/emailed hundreds of people, read adverts for hours every day and viewed ten horses al over the country before I found Fudge. I asked loads of questions and his owner was completely honest with me, I watched him being ridden and rode him for a short while in walk and trot and hacked out on my own down the road in terrible waether and that was it, I just knew, so I brought him without trying him out properly or having him vetted and knowing he had never been schooled and lacked manners on the ground.
There have been times when I've struggled with schooling issues and my confidence and also times when he's been an utter pig, but he is everything I ever wanted in a horse and much, much more even though he is far from perfect.
Lady I only ever got because I felt sorry for her and I wanted a pony of my own so very badly and although I love her to pieces and she is the sweetest, gentlest pony in the world and I will never part with her, she was never the horse I dreamed of having.
When you find the right horse I think you just know.
 
Trust your instincts that's all i would say. My first bought pony I knew he was for me as soon as I saw him and we had seen various other ponies beforehand but none of them had that 'just right' feeling. He did.

My horse I saw an ad in Yorkshire Post and went to see and was the same again I just knew he was 'the one' and again we had been to see many horses before him, all well bred nice looking animals but they just weren't right. He was a 4 yo golden dun with white marklings and at first I thought he was stood on a slope cos he was so 'bum high'! He was and is just such a character though but going to thsi well-schooled chiled out horse from fizzy neurotic ponies was a god send!

I think me and my horse are just on the same wavelength, it's hard to explain but i trust him and him me and that's what you need.
 
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Thanks everyone. I think my criteria can stretch quite far really. This is my list so far:

14.2 to 17hh
4 to 20yrs
Sane but fun
Capable of doing BD elementary, 2'6 SJ and HT, sponsored rides
Has a little bit of experience of shows/competitions
Hacks reasonably sensibly in/out of company

The only things i don't really like as a general rule are full TB's and coloureds with a lot of white or blue eyes

As Jo said I am partial to greys and ID x types

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Aww you don't like my lovely boy then being he is a coloured with a blue eye!!
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I seem to have a thing for greys too though, especially dapple greys!
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Your boy is lovely - i just don't look at those sorts of horses and instantly go wow. I never did with Bodey but he's grown on me so much as his personality is just so fab. Plus you don't expect a cob to be able to move like him!!!
 
George is my one in a million to me! He isn't perfect but neither am I by a long shot, but I just love him so much!

I went out to buy a 15hh native type that was well schooled, so what did I get a 16.3 TB x shire whose schooling was a bit lacking. When I first saw him I thought he was too big for me, but as soon as I'd ridden him (I couldn't even get him to canter to start with!) and chatted to him a bit I was smitten. I let my heart rule my head and I'm so glad I did.
 
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