HopOnTrot
Well-Known Member
Said horse of a life time is a New Forest pony!I'd second get a NF pony - but I would, wouldn't I
Moving on from the perfect horse
- Thread starter HopOnTrot
- Start date
Red-1
I used to be decisive, now I'm not so sure...
I feel your pain, and also agree that good ones rarely hit the market.
I was looking for one to low level BE, that was sane. Money wasn't an issue as I would have spent to get the right one. I couldn't find one for love nor money!
I ended up with a newly backed 4yo, bought unseen from Ireland.
He is NOT for sale, because I appreciate his finer points. He has been sound from day 1 (2021) and is kind and generous. He has done a bit of everything. He is not really my ideal horse as he is also quite placid and has no interest in eventing LOL. I placate myself in knowing that he is a fabulous hack, who I box out all over alone and have a safe and nice time. He can do dressage and SJ, hunter trialling and hunting. He is FAB at camp and will give most things a go. He hacks and has taught my novice boyfriend to ride. He is so kind and generous that he puts up with BF bouncing and, when I got him a western saddle so he had a handle to hold, he dropped the reins altogether in a stubble field, whilst bouncing, to hold the handle, leaving the poor horse with no guidance whatsoever. H just took care of him gently and did his best to think what the right thing to do was.
In some ways I think he is holding me back, as I would still enjoy a day out eventing, albeit at a much lower level that I used to, but I can't sell him as he is easy and fun, and I dread trying to find another where I can leave him for 3 weeks then slap a saddle on, any saddle, he isn't fussed, and go for a nice hack. You just can't buy that! Nor do I want to bully suck a kind horse into being more sporty.
I sometimes think that when my companion horse, Rigs, goes, then I will buy a more sporting model and H can be the companion/ BF horse. But then Rigs seems to get stronger and stronger LOL, and enjoys his work too.
I was looking for one to low level BE, that was sane. Money wasn't an issue as I would have spent to get the right one. I couldn't find one for love nor money!
I ended up with a newly backed 4yo, bought unseen from Ireland.
He is NOT for sale, because I appreciate his finer points. He has been sound from day 1 (2021) and is kind and generous. He has done a bit of everything. He is not really my ideal horse as he is also quite placid and has no interest in eventing LOL. I placate myself in knowing that he is a fabulous hack, who I box out all over alone and have a safe and nice time. He can do dressage and SJ, hunter trialling and hunting. He is FAB at camp and will give most things a go. He hacks and has taught my novice boyfriend to ride. He is so kind and generous that he puts up with BF bouncing and, when I got him a western saddle so he had a handle to hold, he dropped the reins altogether in a stubble field, whilst bouncing, to hold the handle, leaving the poor horse with no guidance whatsoever. H just took care of him gently and did his best to think what the right thing to do was.
In some ways I think he is holding me back, as I would still enjoy a day out eventing, albeit at a much lower level that I used to, but I can't sell him as he is easy and fun, and I dread trying to find another where I can leave him for 3 weeks then slap a saddle on, any saddle, he isn't fussed, and go for a nice hack. You just can't buy that! Nor do I want to bully suck a kind horse into being more sporty.
I sometimes think that when my companion horse, Rigs, goes, then I will buy a more sporting model and H can be the companion/ BF horse. But then Rigs seems to get stronger and stronger LOL, and enjoys his work too.
sollimum
Well-Known Member
I think soundness to start with is a massive plus point - he generally sounds amazing!
So maybe we end up with the horse that we are meant to have?
Even my young broken one has taught me so much - not that I would wish that adventure on anyone, at the rehab yard there were many young horses with the same problems as him.
I still have my perfect horse and he is retired - I am not sure there is another out there like him but I wish there was.
Red-1
I used to be decisive, now I'm not so sure...
It is because he is amazing in so many ways that he is still here. I do agree that maybe we do end up with the horse we are meant to have, but bizarrely, the horse I would love now is the one I had in 2000. He loved to event up to BE 100 but I resented the fact that he was a little cold blooded to make the jump to Novice. My husband bought him off me (so I could buy another) and learned to ride on him. Now Charlie-Horse is the one I would love to have now. Sound, sane, with just a bit more love for work than H. He would have cantered round a BE 90 with a stuffed toy on his back, he was so easy.
I have been offered silly-money for H, but no, he has so many good points that I have changed to do what he enjoys rather than following my own dreams. I do occasionally resent H's suspicion of hard work though! If he had just 10% more Grrr in his personality, we could have a heck of a lot more fun!
Annagain
Well-Known Member
Is it that he really wouldn't want to do it Red or would he just pootle about in his own time and not be competitive? Monty was the latter - he'd happily pop round an 80 and never got any jumping penalties but he'd do it all at his own pace. We were well suited to be honest - I hated cantering downhill and he hated cantering uphill! We frequently got a cricket score in time faults but we didn't care as we didn't want to be competitive, we just wanted to have a bit of fun, which we had loads of. I get that might not enough for others though, the only thing I'm competitive about in life is a pub quiz!
Time for Tea
Well-Known Member
Of course!Said horse of a life time is a New Forest pony!
Red-1
I used to be decisive, now I'm not so sure...
He could be persuaded to do it, but it would likely be at trot for a lot of the fences as he is not called the Health and Safety Inspector for nothing LOL. He did better this autumn in hunter trials, maybe because he perked up a bit after going out with the hunt a few times. He was amazed at the speed of other horses and, on about the 4th outing, even hit his top speed whilst keeping up with everyone. We still trotted some at the hunter trial.
If he were less lovely, I would likely ride him stronger and we'd be off competing now. However, he really thinks he is doing well and keeping us both safe so I don't like to tell him off for being over cautious!
I'm OK with it at the moment as I'm travelling every month and he will mothball and come back to work. He's happy to move yard to yard and seems content. He's a favourite wherever he goes as he is easy, even poos in one spot and never messes the bed up!
Identityincrisis
Well-Known Member
One person’s dream, perfect horse is another’s nightmare, what I mean by that is I wouldn’t pay £500 for a hairy cob that was bombproof as i’d die of boredom but to some, that horse is their dream and they would pay £’s. My previous TB passed and like you I thought i would never find another like him, he was my saint, but I found my Arab who is absolutely as amazing as my TB and i love him as much as Mr Perfect TB. On the flip side, there are a lot of people who would list TB’s and Arab’s as no go zones 
nikkimariet
Well-Known Member
I’ve just helped a friend find almost this exact type. It was rough and took best part of 6 months.
Lots of not as described, 2 failed vettings and that is unfortunately what a lot of people want! You need fairly deep pockets unless you can compromise somewhere.
Lots of not as described, 2 failed vettings and that is unfortunately what a lot of people want! You need fairly deep pockets unless you can compromise somewhere.
Annagain
Well-Known Member
He'd be my dream horse. I'm with him on the speed thing!
FionaDenmark
Active Member
I would love him.
Red-1
I used to be decisive, now I'm not so sure...
He's 8 now but had loads of breaks as I had some bad luck in life and horses were put on the back burner a few times, for extended periods. One year, I may actually get consistent and get him fit and then who knows? But he'll never be one who storms round.
My point was that lovely horses rarely come on the market because, even if they're not exactly doing the job intended, they are too nice and have other good points that mean they stay in their home. Also that the type of horse you want changes.
My point was that lovely horses rarely come on the market because, even if they're not exactly doing the job intended, they are too nice and have other good points that mean they stay in their home. Also that the type of horse you want changes.
Annagain
Well-Known Member
Absolutely. Archie's foot problems meant he'd never have done what I wanted him to do but he did hack and do a bit of low level dressage very happily for another 14 years. I could have sold him to a nice home but he just wormed his way into my heart by just being so loving and needing me. He was a grumpy old git but he was also so cuddly when he wanted to be.
Monty was a genuine good guy. He was very talented and could have done lots more with other people but he was just so genuine he was perfect for both me and his owner (and her 12 year old son - he bypassed the 14hh stage and went straight from his 12.2 onto 17hh Monty!) Nobody ever fell off him, we just fell over with him a couple of times.
spotty_pony2
Well-Known Member
It is possible - but unfortunately that is the type everybody wants so you might have to pay quite a sum for the right one. The problem with 14.2s is they hold their value really well as children's ponies and also as they can class as a 148 if measured. If I were you, I'd look for something slightly overheight at 14.3/15 hands as there may be something slightly more affordable.