How many horses and how did they come to you?

[Makemineacob]

I'm a great believer that horses multiple and that it is difficult to just have one..

I'm also a great believer that horses come into our lives at times (usually the wrong times!) for a reason!

I started with one, swiftly multiplied to two (a rescue) sold the first one then bought the second one his own pony for christmas, enter number three (another rescue) enter number four and five (both ex liveries with very uncertain futures ahead of them).

Hubby is still of the belief that horses only live to 20 (mumbled around the time of said third horse arrival) and doesn't seem to have noticed that horse number five is already mid twenties and going strong!

I'm wondering how many of us have started with one and then the numbers have gone up and up.....

 

[Copperpot]

Yes. Started with one. Then 2, now 3. First one is retired, so bought another to ride, then thought the retired one would be lonely when I was out riding, so adopted a companion from WHW. I'm sure I will get to 4 over the next year or so!

 

[_HP_]

I bought one in 1998 swapped him for another, a coloured cob 18 yrs ago), then saw another, bought that, saw a Welsh a, thought it'd be fun for the kids, then a Shetland with a foal at foot, sold Shetland, kept foal, bought a Connie for daughter... moved....one cob died, bought a tb, rescued two shetlands...rehomed them, rescued a little cob with Laminitis, rehomed him, rehomed the Connie, rescued shetland stallion from starvation, the tb died, then the stallion, rescued another Shetland, then another two, bought a Clyde cross for daughter, had 2 Shetlands pts......😀

 

[FlyingCircus]

Bought my first in Sep 14 and dabbling with buying a second soon as a project for summer. If not soon, then 2017 I'll be adding a 2nd

 

[ihatework]

I seem to collect them,

My old retired boy I found many moons ago in the small ads in the back of H&H. If I'm honest I'd gone for a bit of a joyride and to see what I could get for my tiny budget at the time. The rest is history!

I have another gelding who is a LOU out on loan. I bought him as a rising 5yo from an advert on horsequest (I was supposed to buy an established comp horse!!)

My mare was fate, breeder responded to a wanted advert I had on horsequest. I loaned her for a year and then we agreed on a 50% purchase agreement

I also have part ownership of a young event horse, we sourced him via an Irish agent

 

[LeannePip]

i think they do!

1) When i was 15 i was working on a yard and we went to a local chap (R) to drop of a mare and foal for them to be turned out, saw a nice pony in the field, enquired about it was told it was a 2/3yo colt so thought too small, but loved the 4 white legs and big blaze. Couple of weeks later bumped into the R's daughter, who said that filly (filly?) you liked, jumped the field gate whilst being chased by the foal. . . went through the whole filly? thought it was a colt, how old is it blah blah blah. Turned out to be 15mnt filly, to make 15.2 approx. decided she was the perfect 1s horse, despite being completely feral and very nervous :L . What could have gone so horribly wrong, ended up being the best decision ever. She was the best first horse ever and looked after me for so many years even when it should have been the other way around! Now rising 8 and out on loan to my farrier and his partner being a happy hacker

2) About 6 months after we got Pip, the same guy we got her on was booked to do transport for us to a show but mums share horse went lame so i rang R to see if he had anything mum could take instead knowing that his 4yo(5 by now) i'd helped back the year before had come back from the hunt yard, so he put her on the lorry, mum fell in love with her and bought her a couple of weeks later. Now 11 and still with us.

3) My sister, a couple of years later, bought a nice little coloured, again from R. but was tight for time with starting college, so she sold him on after a year or so.

4) Early in 2015 Pip was having various problems so we decided to look for a second horse to take the pressure off her, enter Ruby, little green 4yo with massive boots to fill!

 

[live-love-laugh]

Brought my first eventer then see a very green youngster with great potential, ended up buying that. Then along came the Connie, then the New Forest for a bit of showing on the side. Then late last year added a 6yr old to the collection.

I say no more, I draw the line at five. Five horses in full time work is enough for me.

 

[Shutterbug]

I bought Arion, 16'3 WB from a local dealer 8 years ago to advance my show jumping. I had been jumping 90cm/1m with my first horse Sam, an IDx and he wasnt happy with those heights so I went looking for something that could. Unfortunately I also had a serious accident with Sam the day Arion was being delivered and have not really gained the same jumping confidence back again - but we are happy to pop a little course of 70cm/80cm now and again but mainly hack and school and beach ride - just have fun basically.

My 4 year old Logan, was owned by a fellow livery and I met him when he was a yearling - I really liked him and joked to the girl that if she ever wanted to sell him to give me first refusal. Lo and behold a few months later she fell pregnant and offered him to me and hes been mine ever since - first horse I have ever backed myself and hes an absolute dream - we start jumping this year.

 

[Makemineacob]

Lovely stories, great to hear I'm not on my own with my own herd!

 

[Equi]

I got my little mare as a companion for my loan horse at the time, she was at a little old mans house who had started to struggle and had dementia. He still remembers her though and always asks how she is She turned out to be well bred so i did a few shows with her but shes more of the low end show quality, old style and a bit fat lol.

This lead me to getting number two, a show quality gelding who was only 4. His owner was just looking him loaned out cause she had just had a baby and other things. He had two good seasons but he is a british type mini, and i fancied having a go with an american type mini who i could also brush up my driving training on (gelding is too small for my cart really and my mare was having some lameness issues)

This brings me to number 3, a show quality american import mare. I had asked about and my friend, who breeds and produces minis, suggested i try her cause she wasnt in foal and wasnt really doing much. Showed her well that season and got her driving well and then quite by accident i ended up with number four (phew..)

Number four. My little stallion who is on lease for a season from ireland. His owner had advertised him for sale, i expressed how he was the most beautiful horse i had ever seen and in my dreams i would have him. She then commented a few hours later (after a few mutal friends yelled no don't you dare sell him) that she could not possibly part with him so i suggested she loan him out instead and the rest is history as they say.

This lead to number 5, who is yet to make an apperance! -wipes brow-

Number 6 is my part loan, who came into my life as if by magic. I had just lost my second riding school horse cause they kept selling the horses i rode, and i had all but given up cause another lesson i went to was absolute rubbish, and my friend messaged me to say she had just got this boy and she knew she would not be able to ride two horses and do a PHD but her hubby had wanted the horse to learn on eventually. So i came in, and ive totally fallen head over heels for him and my riding and confidence has come on leaps and bounds. I go and see him whenever im not working basically, cause owner is still doing her work and hubby is a dr so not much time anyway.

I need to go lie in a dark room now.

 

[indiat]

I have five! My Highland I bought for myself five years ago. The, when we decided to move to the country and have him at home so my girls could have a pony, we bought a very opinionated Welsh cob cross who was far too hot for the riding school we were liveried at. In April, we then bought a Welsh section a for my younger daughter, as he was far too naughty for a fellow liveries young child. She adores him but is already outgrowing him so she plans to drive him after this year. The week before we exchanged contracts on our new place, a little Icelandic mare came up for sale, again a riding school reject as she was too strong and fast for novices. A trip to YHL in November added the fifth member of the herd, a 13 h gypsy mare, who had been found, starving, dumped on farmland. Much like the poor animals in the Daily Wail article this morning. She is an unbacked baby so we are starting her next year and she will take over as my youngest child's ride when she outgrows her little Welsh. Five is more than enough, though!

 

[swilliam]

I have 9 - it was 10 until a few weeks ago, when we lost our beautiful Jimmy to colic. Started 21 years ago with a half share in a loan pony for daughter, and then just seemed to acquire them. Ages range from 3 to 16, heights from 30'' to 18h. Really need to rationalise a bit!

 

[Makemineacob]

This thread is making me feel much more comfortable about having five!

Sorry to hear of your recent loss swilliam *hugs*

 

[MagicMelon]

Ive never had just one, my parents gave me my first pony when I was 8 (he came with his shetland companion). I've always had 3 -5 horses at any one time since. Right now, I have 2 horses that I was lucky enough to be gifted and my other 2 I bought - one I bought just a few weeks ago as a lead-rein pony for my son since we lost my very first pony who started it all last year. I can't have anymore as we dont have the land and I plan to just get down to two, a horse for me and pony for my son eventually...

 

[EQUIDAE]

I went for a 4yo newly backed mare and came home with a yearling filly and 3 week old foal (plus his dam on loan for 6 months). Two was a bad number so I had a string of horses in for backing for a while to 'make up the numbers'. I then had a horse gifted to me for retirement who became my hubby's horse but sadly he died. Then I ended up with a gypsy colt (stupid but he has turned into a little cracker). The next one was for my hubby as he missed having one to call his own - unfortunately she didn't make the height so I swapped her with someone who was selling as theirs had got too big. The final one (no more now) I bought unseen on a whim as he had identical markings to horse number 4 but bay, not blue - he's a project to sell and once day I will be back down to 4. The joys of having your horses at home.

 

[Equine_Dream]

I started with one: Jasper a 13.2 Sec C gelding. I bought him as a confidence giver following having a massive confidence knock with a mare I was loaning.
He is absoloutly perfect in every way. Safe as can be, manners to die for, and has the classic pony legs of fury in gallop My confidence grew in no time.
I then decided it was time to invest in a second horse that I could do a bit more with. While Jasper is an amazing confidence giver he doesn't enjoy jumping and doesn't travel well. So I decided to look for another horse to do some comps and hunt with etc.
I did not want another mare after the one I had on loan had been such a disaster, and absoloutly did not want a youngster. So what did I end up with?.... A 4 year old Sec D mare It was her colour that caught my eye at first. A beautiful palomino. Then when I read the add she was described as being safe beyond her years. So I thought it couldn't hurt to look.
She was that and more. Beautiful inside and out. So good to ride I actually forget her age most of the time.
So there you have it. My two beautiful babies; Jasper and Sky

 

[Deltic Blue]

I have one, only ever had 1 at a time! Don't have the time or money to have more than that! If I had my own land and didn't work full time I think it would be a different story!

 

[Wimbles]

I'm at 7 at the minute which is just ridiculous. They have no problem finding me, I just have problems finding people for them!

Longest serving 17 yr old ex racer came to me nearly 9 years ago from a event yard. Was told of his aggressive issues (and they weren't kidding) but aside from being a misery has taken me to some great places

9 yr old ex racer and been here for 5 years and came from the local market where I went to buy a saddle for the horse above and saw someone thwacking a bay horse in the head because it had run into them. I waded in to try and stop them and ended up on the car park with said bay horse with a bit of rope round his neck. He has a number of ridden issues and has basically been fairly useless and used as the third reserve when everything else has been lame but he's a complete sweetheart!

14 yr old ex racer who had suffered a bad tendon injury and came to us as a bit of a last chance. Gave him nearly 2 years field rest before trying a bit of hacking and he now plays horseball!

3 yr Clydesdale cross that was at the dodgy market about to go for meat and I decided that for under £40 she was too good for that. Really need to find a special person for her as she's going to be amazing!

6 yr old ex racer who I fell in love with in a picture, certainly didn't need another horse but I was smitten. He's going to be an absolute superstar once he matures a bit mentally and physically but he's definitely the horse for the future.

20 yr old Irish Draught who was born at the livery yard that I moved to last year. I tragically lost my other horse shortly after moving to the yard and this guy had no owner and had not been ridden for about 10 yrs as the owner had moved off the yard and left him there so he just fitted into the gap! He's now loaned by my friend and is enjoying a new lease of life hacking, doing lessons and going to camp!

8 yr old ex racer who had a bit of a bad time of things with illness and injury, needed a new home so came home one Monday night

 

[catembi]

I've always had 2 or 3, & am sure I got up to 4 at one time...grandfather was a farmer, so I had 'my' field of 9 acres to fill... Now I've got my own place, with less land, I have to stick to 2...or maybe 3...

Currently I have an ex-racer & a Shetland foal as a companion. We are 2 years into a 5-year plan to move & get more land...hoping for 20 acres. The plan is to acquire bay ex-racers, then as long as o/h doesn't see them all together at once, he won't be sure of the exact numbers as they'll all look similar...

T x

 

[Makemineacob]

Equine dream, Jasper and Sky are lovely.

 

[Makemineacob]

Wimbles- what a superstar you are! I have to avoid the markets otherwise I would end up with everything!

 

[godfreyy]

I've been thinking I'm bonkers for having 3!!!! This thread is making me feel a lot better about it though!!

1. Was bought for me by my parents when I was around about 11yo. Welsh D opinionated mare maybe wasn't the best option for a 1st pony, but she taught me to stay on - and quick! Has been with me now for about 12(ish) years I think it is? Something in that ball park anyway! Now early-mid 20s and still giong strong *touch wood*.

2. My parents were non-horsey, and couldn't understand why I was so facinated with horses/riding so they took lessons secretly to find out what all the fuss was about. About a year after they bought my 1st pony they decided to buy their own, which I have since adopted! Lovely Irish cob, a lot of fun and full of character. Occasionally still get my dad on him, though he now prefers to stay on the ground!

3. My most recent aquisition. Just over a year ago decided I wanted to go out and buy a youngster, and something different from my other 2, to train up and compete on. Originally was meant to be a project horse to sell on after a couple of years, though he has since 100% earned himself a permanent home with me. (Who was I kidding, was I really ever going to sell him on? Realistically?)

 

[Makemineacob]

The plan is to acquire bay ex-racers, then as long as o/h doesn't see them all together at once, he won't be sure of the exact numbers as they'll all look similar...

T x

Love your thinking, let's hope they don't all end up standing at the gate together!

 

[TelH]

I have 7.
One I bought as a little summer project to sell on after a few months. 15 years later he is still here
One I got from someone who was selling up and giving up horses. She rented a little yard which the owner had agreed to rent to me when the last of the others had gone. The last pony would not sell so I bought her...
One I went to the sales to get some feed and look for a new wheelbarrow. Came back with feed, a wheelbarrow and an unhandled 8 month old New Forest pony
The Shettie I got just because I wanted a Shettie...
The other 3 I sort of inherited from my now ex. She wanted a pony of her own, went to look at a hardly handled yearling filly, ended up bringing her home with her dam who was in foal again to the same sire. Lost interest before the foal was even born and passed them on to me. Ex is long gone but the ponies are still here.

 

[BarneyTheChestnutOne]

Me and my sister co-own 3

Started with horse 1. I was 17 and sharing a lovely 15.2hh mare. The YM at the yard i was sharing the mare told me she had a couple of 2year olds in her field... cue me going to 'help' her one day and I fell in love with a Chestnut Welsh part bred colt. Spent my 'saved-up-to-buy-a-car money' and haven't looked back since. Not ideal 1st horse on paper but had him gelded and he has been amazing. He's now 10 and on field rest with an injury but we have learnt so much together and is never ever going anywhere.

Horse 2. So said horse 1 got my sister 'into' horses and so another unplanned purchase. Went with a friend to look at a 3year old 16.1hh ISH mare for her. Said friend didn't like her but liked a gelding also for sale at the same place. Somehow, we got a 'great' deal on bringing both home, 1 for her and 1 for us! She's now 8 and also never going anywhere. Can be ridden by anyone and has a heart of gold. Firm yard favorite

Horse 3. Sister was riding her for someone at the yard who had overhorsed their Pony club daughter. When they made the decision to sell we put in a cheeky offer and ended up with a beautiful bay KWPN dressage mare who has been fantastic and a great addition to out family she completes our 3 and definitely not getting any more ;-) ....

 

[pennyturner]

No matter what the sob story, I always convince myself that I will sell them when they're backed, or when they've come right. They come right, and then how can I get rid of a lovely, well behaved pony?
Now have 11. **red face**

 

[ILuvCowparsely]

I'm a great believer that horses multiple and that it is difficult to just have one..

I'm also a great believer that horses come into our lives at times (usually the wrong times!) for a reason!

I started with one, swiftly multiplied to two (a rescue) sold the first one then bought the second one his own pony for christmas, enter number three (another rescue) enter number four and five (both ex liveries with very uncertain futures ahead of them).

Hubby is still of the belief that horses only live to 20 (mumbled around the time of said third horse arrival) and doesn't seem to have noticed that horse number five is already mid twenties and going strong!

I'm wondering how many of us have started with one and then the numbers have gone up and up.....

My story is too long but will only talk about the ones I have now



I have 3 now soon to be 4 when I buy my donkey, The most I have had is 4 ...1/2. the half is a mare I half owned with someone else.


My boy came to me through breeding my mare whom I lost 2012, He was born 3. 6 . 2001

My pony I brought 2009 age 3 1/2

My new mare I brought on 29th July 2015

 

[Ladyinred]

No matter what the sob story, I always convince myself that I will sell them when they're backed, or when they've come right. They come right, and then how can I get rid of a lovely, well behaved pony?
Now have 11. **red face**

That makes me feel a whole lot less guilty for having 5!

 

[The Fuzzy Furry]

I currently have 2, no plans to extend to more <wags finger to self>

I no longer have the 8 acre field adjacent to mine, now only have my 4.5 acres & yard
At busiest I had 16 in summer, more usually it was around 8/9 in winter.
However, was backing, schooling etc, so often buying 3-5 yr olds to get going.
I would hate to estimate how many I have owned over the years :redface3: