How many horses have you owned?

Thirteen and this was the best in terms of trust and fun. He was a 5 year old here and I was 20. He died in 2004 age 27. Others were/are more talented and one a stunner but this grey boy will never be equalled or forgotten. He is hunting in the sky, run free my favourite boy.

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The stunner and massive prize winner, retired now.

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The home bred and her sweet heart of a mum, she is 2 now.

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The delinquent project 2 yr old

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and my old ladies conveyance, safe and solid to keep me riding in my dotage. A 7 year old mare. Still in education but looks like she will make the grade.

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Having worked it out now about 35 in 50 years of horse ownership including a beautiful weltmeyer bred hanovarian gelding who was absolutely stunning
 
In order our family horses..


Jacko Shetland pony
12.2 Dinky Welsh x Arab
14.2 Paddy - hmmm not sure what he was
15.1 Cataluna -BBWA
15.3 Nicky Cleveland bay x Norwegian fjord
16.1 Roxi - TB
16.2 Max - TB x
16.3 Ursala KWPN
16.0 Salene KWPN
16.1 Sam TB
17.1 Ludo Oldenburg
16.0 Zazou KWPN
16.1 Darcy ID x
 
17 over a period of 60 years.....and 7 of these have been very special! I have reduced numbers now to my last 3 and they are going nowhere!!
 
Mmmm i have owned/loaned 7 (inc daughters ponies) during my life. All were good animal s in thier own way but my Baby will always be the horse of my life. A troubled mare with dreadful background and failing sight but hell what amazing beautiful horse. Brave intelligent forgiving kind. My friend and rock through my own dark years. Sadly we said goodbye in August and i still miss her so much everyday. Just looking into her big soft eyes made the worst day better :)
 
I have owned 3.

the first was a 14.1 and a half (not forgetting the important half!), cob cross, liver chestnut mare called Tish. I got her from my riding school where I had been riding for only 6 mths. She was a total sweetheart in the stable and to handle. our vet and farrier loved her.....however.....she used to bolt, was terrified of hose pipes and hated jumping. She taught me how to ride properly but i sadly outgrew her and wanted to learn to jump so she was sold to the Horse Rangers and gave lots of children loads of fun until she was PTS due to Navicular

the second was an ex-racer, chestnut, 16hh TB, called Harry. Bought from a dealer in Kent. We didn't gell at all, He was cold backed and used to take chunks out of me on a regular basis. very hard to love a horse who clearly wanted to hurt me. I had to learn to ride him in order to sell him. He was sold to a lovely couple who had his double already at home.

My third was Polly. 16.1hh ID xTB, Bay Mare. Found her in HH mag. My absolute horse of a lifetime. I fell in love with her the day I tried her, even though I fell off jumping her. I was just learning to jump so it was totally my fault but I think she used to get a battering when someone fell off because she shied away from me when I tried to get back on. I like to believe that because I didn't smack her that day she took it upon herself to look after me from that day on and she did! I trusted her completely. Even when she used to get excited and jog sideways I knew she would never take off with me and she jumped everything I put her at. I stupidly let my, now ex-husband, influence me in selling her and I have regretted it ever since. I still mourn her loss and never knew what happened to her after that.

Now after 15 yrs without one, I am looking for a mother/daughter share. sooooo excited but petrified at the same time :)
 
Star – 14.2hh Connie X TB X Arab 8 years – Owned as child from 10 to 18 he was too big for me to start with and was naughty, obstinate and grumpy but I loved him anyway.

I've had a fair few shares post Uni and during first years of job-finding and building a career.

Metal - 16.3h big grey ID/cob, nappy out hacking
Emma – 16.3hh big bay ID ex Hunt, great hack and jump
Gem – 16.3hh Bay BWB Nutcase
Pele – 17hh Chestnut BWB nice but spent a lot of time lame.
Joe – 15.3hh Black TB ex P2P

Owned a an adult.
Teabag - 16.2hh TBX 2.5yrs – PTS as had Wobblers and was devastated :(
Romeo - 16.1 Bolshy KWPN 3 months – sold on as not suitable.
Sol – BWB 8.5yrs and who will be 19 this year – a total joy to own and my horse of a lifetime. :)
 
I've owned 4, and they've all been ultra-special.

My first pony, Martini, 14.2, no breeding info but I think he had a lot of welsh in him. Only had him for 6 months when we lived in Cornwall.
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Then my first horse as an adult, Mr Red. Got him when he was 19, he was definitely the horse of a lifetime, lost him at 29 about 15 months ago and I still cry over him.
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I had My Golden Clover for just less than 2 years, after a year he fell & tore his meniscus. We tried rehab but he wasn't the sort of horse that coped well with box rest or field rest, and after 9 months was as lame as when he first did it so had to say goodbye to him
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Lastly there's George, another horse of a lifetime, or would be if I ever get to ride him again! 17.2 IDxTB half-brother to Jakarta, now 10yo, his only issue is he's genuinely terrified of everything, but has led a field out hunting many times! Lovely horse, talented, kind, handsome, he's the bay on the left (Red us on the right)
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I currently own four and they will all be with me for life. The oldest is 22 and I bred her and I also own her daughter who is eight. My lovely Arabian gelding is 15, I bought him as a weanling and there is no way he will every be with anyone else. There have been lots of offers! And my latest purchase is just a two year old, who I bought earlier this year, even though I was slightly unsure of her. But she now has a home for life.

There is no such thing as the perfect horse and I think it is a matter of accepting what you have warts and all, playing to their strengths and loving them for their quirks. There has been five others, but they have been moved on either because I have or we just didn't get on. Sometimes horse divorce is just the right thing to do.
 
My first pony was Mrs P, who was a 13.3 newf. She was amazing, definitely soulmate material. I lost her in a horrendous accident when she rolled against the field gate.

My next pony I bought on the rebound. On paper he was right but I was still grieving. I sold him to a family home because we wound each other up.

Then I bought H, another soulmate, from my best mate. H had been Mrs P's best mate too and had been in my life since he was 3yo. I lost him last year age 27. I owe that horse everything.

When I had H, I bought a Shetland, Lulu, to keep him company. She was very much her own pony, but we had an understanding and I loved her dearly. I lost her in 2012, and she was well in her 30s.

I also co-own Spud with my partner in crime. Spud isn't really deep enough to be a soulmate (pretty lights....fairies.....) but I love the very bones of that horse. If you are ever down and want cheering up, Spud is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. And he is as safe as houses.

And then I have Wolf. He was bred by a friend of mine and I've had him since he was a weanling. We're just making baby steps at the moment, and finding out what makes each other tick as a ridden partnership. He's young and naiive, I'm older than I once was, but I love his clever brain and his work ethic. It's an incredible journey we're on, equally daunting and inspiring.

So that's 5 and a half in nearly 30 years of being involved in horses.
 
I've owned three.

My first pony, Misty, was (so far) my pony of a lifetime. I had her almost 12 years, until she was 35. She was my best friend, and we did pretty much everything together. She was the pony I always dreamed of having but never thought I would. She saw me through all but the first month of secondary school, through sixth form, through my degree and through the first year of my PhD course.

Harry, my second pony, was a little sweetheart. Sadly an incompetent saddler caused us issues that still resonate with me now, 11 years later. He probably wasn't totally suitable, since he'd been a show pony and I wanted to do lots of jumping, but he was lovely. He died when we were both 18, from laminitis. I always thought he wouldn't live as long as Misty, but I never thought it would be that much less. That was 2006, and I need to look at some photos of us again. I have a couple on my wall, but it seems so very long ago (and yet I still dream about having him pts). Having one at home that I actually rode (Misty took me out for short hacks in her later days, but I didn't do more than that) and pushed harder seems so very long ago now.

In may 2013, I bought Barry. He's a lovely chap, but he's just not right for me, partly because he's just too big. So I made the decision to sell him, and he goes to his new home at the end of this month.

I was about to start looking for no 4, but I've been offered the possibility of working in Texas for 3 months, in which case there's no point looking until I come back from that, at which point I might as well wait until my PhD is done as I've only got 9 months left including possibly spending a third of that abroad!
 
I've owned one, ridden since the age of six at a riding school, rode all sorts of different horses and ponies. Pic below is of me and a pony called Dillon

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My auntie had horses so I rode those as I was growing up, had a break with horses from 17-22 when I met my now husband, his novice eventer got me back into it, Joyce was a Dutch WB and a total diva but knew what she was doing, got me from being a rusty rider to jumping 1m, when she retired, we got a 4 year old TB X gelding, DJ ( below). He was to carry on where Joyce left off but developed bone spavins age 6 and was PTS age 10.

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In 2010 I took on loan Chloe, a 15.1hh black poss Anglo Arab X mare. The loan was supposed to be short term and to help a friend out as OH said she was too small for him. However as I was left a small amount of money, Chloe ended up properly mine in 2011, love her so much, she's taught me loads and we've had lots of fun together. She also helped with the sadness of losing DJ as my OH has show jumped her quite a bit. She's now 15 but still acts as though she's 5! Below our first show

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In the summer of 2012, OH was looking for a youngster, Amber, a chesnut 4 year old a reg ISH was at the yard, OH wasnt keen but agreed to ride and bring her on until her owner found someone else. However we both fell in love with her and bought her!

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Both our "girls" and us below showjumping last year. Sorry for pic overload!!!

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In 20 years of being involved in horses, a grand total of 0 :( woe is me. I've just never had the time, so have always stuck to shares, of which I've had three.

Shares:
Mandy - 15hh chestnut mare who I loaned when I was at sixth form and living at home with a LOT of time on my hands compared to now!
Frankie - 14.2hh piebald cob gelding who I briefly loaned but he was sold soon after. We never clicked that well anyway.
TJ - my current loan who is amazing. Had him for a month now and I am still getting used to him but already hooked. 17hh bright bay Polish WB gelding.
 
Nine in all over my lifetime.,or as the oH would say, too bloomin' many!. None would have set the world alight but one, a Sec A full of character, has been miles and away my favourite.
 
I have owned 5.

The first 3 were ponies who were outgrown (all welsh and all full of character!), then I had my horse of a lifetime, a beautiful bay 16.2 mare who was sadly PTS last year. Now I have a kwpn gelding who I hope will be around for many more years to come.

All the ponies/horses I have had have been young, much prefer to bring on young horses :)
 
Iv had four.

My first was Aero a new forest gelding, bay, 14.1ish about 14 years old and I bought him from a riding school. He showed me the ropes dumped me a fair few times and got me into competitions. Sold him after 2 years as I wanted to compete.

I then bought biddie a 14.2, bay new forest mare who was 8 and ready to go. Well we just never got on and basically we really disliked eachother the feeling was a 100% neutral. I lost all confidence and sold her 8 months later.

While I had biddie I went to a dealers with a friend who was looking and spotted at 14.3 palomino Arab mare. (taya was her name). She looked sad and I just had to have her she was beautiful. I had her a short while, got her going again ridden wise and sold her to a lovely lady who kept her the rest of her days.

Last horse was amey, 14.1 bay Welsh mare. Had her 6/7 years and had known her for a while before I bought her. I sold her last June due to career commitments.
 
I have owned 3, 2 of which I still have, not counting the one that my mum bought for me and my sister when we were growing up. I have had 2 on loan alongside Major though, but have now bought a second; Oakley.
 
I've owned five but had one on loan between 1 and 2!

First pony was Beauty, a 12.3 liver chestnut mare who was awesome! An ex-prince Phillip cup gymkhana pony. She could jump anything when the mood took her and I loved her to bits!

My next was a loan horse called paradise who was anything but lol! She was a 14.2 welsh Dx. She was bolshy, grumpy, hated men with a passion but was very pretty and a great hack. I have her up when I went to uni.

Next was gypsy, a 3yr old Irish x, 16jh. I only had her for about four months as we lost our grazing and it wasn't fair on a young horse.

Next came Dolly, who I took pity on at an auction I foolishly visited with a friend! She was tied up to the back of a clapped out old wagon and looked so sad! She was 4 when I bought her and I only sold her in December after she had been out on loan for the past three years. She is now 14!! I love that mare so much, she taught me a great deal and bred me a lovely foal who I still have....I only sold her as I know its a fabulous family forever home.

Luna is my next! Dolly's foal and the love of my life! She is a welsh Dx Dolly! Lol she is 8 now and tbh, a real drama queen diva who thinks the world revolves around her! She went out on loan briefly but never again. Not because she wasn't looked after but because she came crack a changed animal... More nervy and unsure of herself which is a shame as she was always so bold. I felt incredibly guilty that I'd dented her trust in me. She has Spavins so is really not my ideal mount as I'd like to do more competitions etc but I love her to bits and the home would have to be exceptional before I let her go anywhere again!!!

My fifth, who I sold last year was Dulcie, a RID mare and the horse of my dreams. But my husband and I were having a few issues...and I thought it best to let her go as she needed a lot of attention and work. As it happens, selling her didn't save my marriage but I'm still glad I sold her as I definitely wouldn't have had the time and money to take her out currently! Plus she went to an awesome home who still keep in touch... I even got a happy birthday msg off her lol :)

I'd ideally like another alongside Luna next year when I've got divorce sorted and I'm straight. I'd love another ID or maybe an ISH to do Riding Club stuff on.
 
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I actually added them all up the other day, although I may have missed some. It came to over 200.
Most of those I either bred or were 'flips' though, my personal horses tend to stay a lot longer.
Out of that lot, I had 2 fabulous Arabians each was 'the one' in their own way, then there are a couple here that are special to me.
 
I have owned seven, five of which I still have and one on loan. Had my first mare over thirty years ago and still have a foal we bred form her who will be twenty one this year.
 
5 owned and 1 on loan over the 30or so years I've been riding.

K was a little Shetland I used to plod about on.

L was my first proper pony, a little dart moor/exmoor mare.

P , what can I say, she taught me a LOT. She bucked, reared, was very young and very green but we learnt together and had lots of fun over the years.

Then came G. She was my pony of a lifetime, I'd love to find her again and keep her to the end of her days. We did everything together, SJ, XC, dressage, ODE, and competed at county standard WHP and SHP. We went far further together than I ever dreamed possible.

I then had a long break, got married, had kids, grew up(!) and then got A on loan. I had her for 12months and 6months into that I bought J, a 4yr old ISH.

A went back off loan in Oct 2012 and I now just have J.
 
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