REVIEW YOUR YEAR: How was your 2016 in horses?

Shadowdancing

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Thinking back I've had quite a year full of changes relating to horses! It's been fantastic though.

This year I:

Finally bought my own little horsebox
Got my horse over her loading issues (so far so good, she's been wonderful!)
Moved yards with trepidation and fear, soon to turn to relief and joy..
Went to part livery from DIY- it's great :)
Got my first rosette in a dressage test (FINALLY!!!)
Found a jockey to compete my horse showjumping
Watched my horse win her first ever 1m05 jumping class (so proud!)

Overall it's been an exciting and great year... I know some people haven't been so lucky...

How was 2016 for you?
 

Wimbles

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This year I:

Had pneumonia twice before February so didn't really ride
Had a couple of fabulous days out hunting in March
Rode my new horse at his first horseball game and scored a few goals
Drove my own horse all the way to France to play horseball which was amazing
Had a brilliant time at camp with Dangerous Brian - he was fabulous cross country and his dressage was a revelation.
I then took a silly little fall which resulted in my nearly twisting my own arm off. Four months later after operations, metalwork and physio I'm still not riding but movement in the offending limb is improving.

Hoping for a bit more luck in 2017
 

PeachesD113

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Not as successful as many others but this year after 20 odd years of dreaming I got back in the saddle and got my first horse (on loan). Been taking things very slowly with him but hoping this time next year I'll be able to have a proper list of achievements 😊
 

leflynn

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Amazing!

Went and still are hunting again (only got out twice last year), and Sir is being a total pro :D
Qualified for the BD ROR champs and went and got 5th place in one of the champ classes - never EVER dreamed I'd do this!! (only Intro and Prelim)
Did some hunt rides and had some amazing hacks inc some to the pub
Managed to keep weight on Sir (can be tricky...)
Qualifies for Pet Plans at prelim again (but couldn't go due to a clash)
Became a good Nanny for others (nice to be able to repay the favour)
Got our first Novice points :D (never thought I'd do that either)
Jumped top of the wings (2ft 9) :eek:

Had a brilliant year did so much and it makes up massively for all the injury and downtime in previous years, love my furry Sir to bits and can't wait for next year :D
 

Antw23uk

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Awesome.

Renewed my enthusiasm for all things horsey when we brought a property with land and stables so brought my horse back off loan and home.
Transitioned him to barefoot so didnt get much riding in on our first summer at new place but next year will rock!
Got a new horse and she is proving to be a little star ... and yes thats a 'she' which I never EVER thought would happen :)

Roll on 2017 :D
 

LHIS

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Brilliant everyone :)

This year I cracked my confidence issues and am enjoying riding my boy. My goal for 2017 is to get out and do some local unaff dressage and take him to Somerford for the farm ride.
 

atropa

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Really bonded and gained a lot of confidence with my first horse.
Took her to a competition away from home for the first time ever for me.
Travelled her there myself.
Competed in lots of jumping, arena eventing, dressage and showing.
Bought a second, young green horse in summer.
Took younger horse out to a couple of her first ever comps where she was a star.
Learned to lunge much more effectively.

Dealt with colic for the first and second time.
Dealt with laminitis for the first time.
Spent ~6 months nursing boxresting horse and not riding.
Ran into issues with ulcers/muscle tears/behaviour with younger horse which has stopped me riding her for the past couple of months.
Lost all confidence in everything.
Dealt with unexplained mystery lameness whilst trying to bring older horse back into work.

A mixed bag, but unfortunately for me the absolutely pants second half of the year has overshadowed the good first half :( Hoping for a much better 2017.
 

SEL

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Mine was pretty pants! I'm trying to focus on July and August where madam finally started hacking on her own and I started to think we were making progress - then it all went horribly wrong.

So I've had
- ulcers
- pssm
- arthritis
- ringbone / sidebone (that's the retired horse, but even so the x-rays were a shock)

and then got bucked off and completely screwed my back.

I'm really, really looking forward to a better 2017!
 

Whizza

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Mine has been totally up and down!

Bought my very first horse and have enjoyed getting to know her and everything horse related. Even the mud and rain! Love her to bits.

5 weeks ago broke my knee, jumped off my friends horse and my knee just broke, major surgery to mend it and I'm now slowly recovering. Have only seen my mare once in 5 weeks because it's just impossible for me to get down there. I miss my yard mates and I desperately miss my mare.

2017 here I come and I'm not letting anything beat me next year!!
 

SEL

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Mine has been totally up and down!

Bought my very first horse and have enjoyed getting to know her and everything horse related. Even the mud and rain! Love her to bits.

5 weeks ago broke my knee, jumped off my friends horse and my knee just broke, major surgery to mend it and I'm now slowly recovering. Have only seen my mare once in 5 weeks because it's just impossible for me to get down there. I miss my yard mates and I desperately miss my mare.

2017 here I come and I'm not letting anything beat me next year!!

Ouch! Making me feel marginally better about my screwed up back now! Hope you feel better soon.
 

HufflyPuffly

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Hope everyone who had a rubbish year gets a good one in 2017!

- We started off on a low with another emergency vet call out 10 days into the new year, fearing it was the end of the road for Princess Doodle :(.
- We found shoes had given her an abscess and so started her barefoot journey.
- 11 months is she sound and back in work :eek:.

- Topaz got the giddies and reminded me she is still not accepting of restricted turnout by roedo'ing me off, this was followed by baby horse doing the same...
- Topaz then redeemed herself by getting a personal best at Winter regionals at Elementary.
- Made our Medium debut with 66% :eek:
- Qualified twice for Petplans at Medium with ever test done being a Q'ing score!
- Met Lucinda Green who said Topaz was great if a bit mental :lol:.
- Went eventing, came 7th!
- Went to Summers at Elementary, smashed our regional PB to come 11th with 67%.
- Went to Petplans came last with one judge scoring us on 53% :eek:.
- Went to our second attempt at Petplans, came second and qualified for the finals!

- Skylla had her annual pus party, but this time with a foot abscess.
- She went to her first ridden show and came third.
- She went to her second ridden show and won both classes!
- Did her first dressage test and came second in the intro.
- Did her first prelim, won with 67%.
- Did her first Christmas ride with tinsel and lights and was awesome :D.

This year has been a good one for us, still up's and downs but after 2015 it was just fab, bring on 2017!
 

Amye

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We've had our ups and downs!

Started the year off well, really seemed to be progressing with our schooling and jumping, however this seemed to tail off into summer and we have gone a bit backwards since then which is disappointing, but still an improvement from when I bought him last August.

Our hacking however, has gone from strength to strength which is great. We hack out on our own completely fine now, we have next to no tantrums/planting and spooking. He still sees things he doesn't like, but at the beginning of the year when I'd only had him a few months he would plant, try and turn around, bunny hop before going past. Now, he is much more likely to stop, hesitate and when asked to move forwards, actually move on.

Tried to go to a TREC competition in March but couldn't get him on the horsebox! Since then we have managed to get out twice over summer (don't have own transport so not much opportunity) which is a success too :)

Hopefully next year we'll get out a bit more, I want to take him to craven as I didn't get chance before it closed this year and maybe do a show or two.
 

ihatework

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Highs and Lows. Thankfully more highs than lows though.

January, Feb and March were very quiet - pregnant mare getting fatter by the day.
No riding bar the odd hacking out for a friend on the weekend and a sporadic schoolmaster lesson.

April was spent waiting for foal arrival, and boy did they make me wait. Eventually 3 weeks Kate he arrived safe and well. I got to play with him for a couple of weeks before he went well and truly ferel and couldn't be captured for 5 weeks, oops!

Thereafter the rest of the summer was spent out eventing and foal handling. The young horse I have a share in had a cracking season, winning twice and only out of the top 10 once due to naughty speedy time penalties. Friends top horse that I help out with a bit made his mark at Bramham, Gatcombe ERM and Burghley which has just been fantastic to be involved with.

On a sadder note I called time on my old boy in June, accumulation of reasons but ultimately a quality of life call with cushings.

My 2017 aim? Well to be reliably able to catch the foal would be a good start, After that it would be great if the young horse had a good run at 1*. A repeat of Burghley at Badminton would be the icing on the cake! And my mare, the ginger diva, well if she is sound, happy and offers me some sequence changes then I will be even happier!
 

MiJodsR2BlinkinTite

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A frustrating year if I'm honest: have been looking for my Next Best Friend all year and not found anything......... or rather I DID find a lovely little horse which I'd fallen in love with and thought I'd be taking home, only to have the vet spin it :(

Sadness too as I've had to make the decision to retire my old gal, bless her.

Challenge - as a cheeky little Exmoor has arrived on loan!
 

Lammy

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Well after a quick yard evacuation at the start of the year due to bonkers YO it's gone mostly okay since the summer :)
Me and the whale did our first dressage test together and got above 60% which was way more than I thought.
Then we tried our hand at our first show jumping competition in 2 years and placed 5th out of a class of about 30.
Have been improving during schooling sessions and started the young man with some groundwork in the school.
I've also been told several times that my 18 year old mare doesn't look at all her age which is possibly the best compliment I've ever had.
In October unfortunately took a kick to the head which meant I was out of riding for approx 6 weeks but to this day I still feel very lucky that I'm here let alone riding!
Got back on board after said kick to the head which is definitely up there for best day of the year which may only be rivaled by me sitting on my youngster for the first time which I plan on doing next week if all goes to plan.

Overall it's been a great horsey-2016...though there's still room for a few more accidents :D
 

ROMANY 1959

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Bit of an end of an era year for me..
I am now horseless after last horse was sold and son went to uni
No more Polocrosse ...no more lorry driving to rugby, midlands, Yorkshire, and local comps.
Sold all the horsey stuff except best bridle and a rug that was sashays
Prize for a best horse.
So I've had since may with no horses...bo hoo
But I sure don't miss it on
Cold wet winter mornings, or poo picking with a head torch
 

Greylegs

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Lovely to read everyone's successes and such positive attitudes to the not-so-good stuff.

My year has been a bit mixed as well.

Started to feel I needed to move pony for a number of reasons, so looked for an alternative.
After a lot of heart searching, moved pony from a large full livery yard to a small, private place a bit further from home.
Loved the new set up, but time constraints started to get in the way of actually enjoying my pony!! ... see later!!
Within a week or so of moving, pony went very lame with a mystery off hind lameness.
Eventually resolved into an access, which was treated and resolved, but the whole episode took 5-6 weeks.
During pony being lame, I developed the worst bout of sciatica imaginable and was literally crippled for 6 weeks!! Took weeks to fully resolve so very little riding even when pony came sound.
Hence, we were lame in one way or another for about 4 months between us!
Took decision to move again to a part livery yard a bit nearer home to free up some time ... been there a couple of weeks: so far so good: more time now and am now back to being able to get pony back into full work.
Not competed all year, but hope to change that in the new year.
Went on hols in September to find pony had rubbed off most of his mane when I got back, so he looks dreadful!! Half hogged ... Not a good look on a highland!!

So, onwards and upwards for us as we go into 2017. Working on getting pony looking a bit better and building up his fitness (and mine) over the winter. Going to set myself some goals for the spring and maybe organise a few lessons to get my mojo back a bit.

Feeling pretty positive overall.
 

StarcatcherWilliam

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From a horsey point of view, 2016 has been awful! Lost my lovely ex racer after only 6 months of ownership. Having a break from horses which I am finding really difficult. But on a more positive note, first baby due in Jan so 2017 will be a year to look forward to. Hoping baby will keep me so busy that I won't have time to be depressed over no horse!
 

RunToEarth

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2016 in horses? I'm having a forced break. I'm just too allergic to ride anymore, it's got to the point where any length of time around my horses results in days of aggressive asthma, and on three separate occasions, nebuliser and/or steroids. I'm calling it a break as I'm optimistic, but not sure how allergies alter/develop?
 

mariew

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Totally sucked, after months of uncertainty worked out my precious girlie is permanently broken and can only be hacked. Ho hum. Bring on getting to terms with this in 2017!
 

lilyhopkins_

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This years been a pretty big year for me even though it doesn't seem like I've done a lot when writing it down!
First of all, after riding for 8 years I finally had a jumping lesson and started to learn how to jump.
I then also took a big step and brought my own horse! It's always been a dream of mine to own my own horse as my mum had a few before I was born but couldn't afford another after me and my brothers were born. My horse is probably the best things that's ever happened to me and getting him just made my year the best ever.

Hopefully next year if full of going out and competing, another dream of mine that I have never done! Bring on 2017.
 

ohmissbrittany

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One word? Dramatic. :)

I sold my beautiful Ram 1500 and Sundowner SunLite 777 trailer, sent my horse to quarantine after one measly competition (her first since I took her barefoot)... and moved across the ocean. She got shipping fever (some kind of flu with bacterial pneumonia) and I almost lost her while we were "camping" in Holland with the vet coming every 24 hours, and me living in her stall hand feeding and holding buckets of water brought from my hotel room to try and get her to drink.

She survived that and she saw her first hillside in Oswestry (we lived on the Gulf Coast in Texas- think hot, sandy and SUPER flat), before moving to our own land in Cheshire (which is coincidentally also sandy and flat). So I'm keeping horses at home for the first time in ten years, learning about mud and fighting for motivation. The past 8 weeks my horse has been recovering from a hind splint fracture from a kick by her pasture mate... so in terms of riding and competing I'm basically calling this year a washout.

However, I'm working on getting my trailer license here so we can get out- I'm desperate to get back into lessons and make some friends here to go hacking and stay motivated :)
 

Lanky Loll

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Bittersweet.
January saw me anxiously waiting for Loll's scans to show any sign of improvement, which thankfully she did so was given the next 6 months off to heal, by August there was no sign of any damage to her DDFT and she was doing some light hacking but the decision was taken that she should be given further time off and she was sent to live with friends of ours who have the space to give her the time she needs, and she will hopefully be put in foal this winter :)
In the meantime I had taken on mum's 5yo who'd done nothing, he managed to win his first competition (hunter trial), complete 2 ODE's, qualify for RC Regional SJ Champs and be a large part of our winning team at Hartpury. He was then sold shortly afterwards (although I could ride him, I never felt entirely comfortable), and with Loll off games I was horseless for a couple of weeks before taking a trip to Irish Horse Imports to look for a 5yo gelding... came home with a 4yo chestnut mare and a 3yo grey mare :eek:
The 4yo is now in work, has had a couple of lessons but is spending most of her time hacking, the 3yo has been sat on but is now in field to grow (about 2inches in the couple of months and has gained condition which she needed), so now to start another winter of baby horse work :)
 

Ddraig_wen

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Been a mixed bag kind of a year.

January saw me getting called out all hours of the day or night as someone was having fun letting horses out and playing games.
February saw me signing for an amount of grazing I never thought I'd have in a million years whicg allowed me to agree to take on a couple of other ponies for an owner I'd been doing with for a couple of years. Pity they were mostly in not great condition and weren't able to hit the ring but maybe next year.
March saw me waiting on tenter hooks for foals who never arrived. Both mares deciding to hold on for an extra few weeks. Flooded fields, people causing drama and stupid showing politics all because someone was trying to get their claws into one of the rides here.
April was better, long awaited foals arrived. Show season kicking off proper.
May- oh look more politics. First fullbred foal won at a medal show yeay.
June - My gelding misdiagnosed as having a fracture in his front fetlock. Got prepared to write him off and just see what happens.
July - Miracle of miracles gelding is sound and turns and misdiagnosis comes out. I get to ride my boy at the Royal Welsh. First time I've been able to take something of my own and not someone elses. Foalie face gets placed in his class too. Brill month.
August - Think it was pretty average other than losing my little rescue boy.

September to now - Lost my beautiful boy due to colic and someone else's interference which caused it. Signed for a new yard which I thought was great however not all being how it was cracked up to be but hey ho things can only get better.
Got some nice rides confirmed for next show season

All in all I hope 2017 is much better than this year
 

Merrymoles

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There are some sad stories here - sympathies to all who have had a bad year.

Not a bad year for us as I finally have a bit more confidence back when riding and am better able to deal with my horse's occasionally silliness (like bucking down the road from the yard last week) without being completely terrified. I also know him well enough to know that the idiocy doesn't take long to wear off and he will settle, unlike my last horse who used to wind himself into tighter and tighter knots.

We are still making progress and I would love to have transport (and the funds) to do more with him but realistically that is unlikely so will just have to keep plugging away in my mission to turn him into the horse I know he could be!

Our only real downside of the year was an eye infection at the height of the summer which necessitated several vet visits and a period of box rest, just when the weather was great!
 

fidleyspromise

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It's been a quiet year.
Spent 6 weeks of summer barely able to leave the house = pony got fat and no-one told me = pony on 6 weeks box rest as all fields had too much grass and she went through all my electric fences.
Had some fab rides out and about

Get my 4th lesson tomorrow with my baby 9 yr old pony. She is no longer planting and we've progressed to going over trotting poles and starting to pick up a contact. The pony I never thought I'd sit on!
 

HappyHollyDays

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Started the year off at rock bottom confidence wise. Pony kept falling over with me so I took him barefoot and stopped riding while his natural balance returned. Took him off livery and went DIY and can honestly say it's the best thing I could have done for both of us. In the process of buying my first little lorry, was hoping to have it before Christmas but it should arrive in January.

Next year we will be going on fun rides, swimming and hopefully a holiday away with fellow liveries.
 

only_me

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It's been different let's say that :p

Started off well, getting him fit and celebrated st.patricks day in style
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and even managed to do & win a competition in the middle of exam revision :p
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Then we hit a little snag in our year, thanks to a Shetland.
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Thankfully it healed well and the Shetland was made to do his penance by hacking out with Billy
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So then spent the summer getting back and ready to get to competitive again - and just at the point were I was happy to go back out and mean business I went back to uni lol. But a happy event occurred - baby alpaca was born infront of bill!
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They became the best of friends and even featured in H&H
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And Billy is now fat, hairy and hacked at weekends - can't wait for the days to get longer so we can hack during the week! :D

At least we've finished the year with Billy happy, sound and ready to enter 2017 :D
 

Kezzabell2

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Started the year slowly coming back into work, after having shoes removed in Sept 15, and having slightly bruised feet from the super wet winter.
We spent some time trying to get used to stuff not hurting any more but he wouldn't hack alone, so spent a long time getting him used to hacking in company.

Feb we had thermal imaging, which then resulted in back being x-ray looking for kissing spine, which was luckily not the case.

Started increasing the distance to eventually going over the motor way bridge, which lead us to lots of off road riding, and did our first few 10 mile rides. Found that he really trusted one old mare on the yard, so we went out and about with her over the summer:

to the beach, to Frensham ponys and on our first fun ride then a longer sponsored ride! he was brilliant at all of them, expect for an impatient rear at the start line of the run ride, and an excused bounce half way round.

We were still having troubles schooling, he wasn't keen on doing this, started using spurs and after a few sessions he started to become less argumentative.

At the end of August I had two weeks off work and planned to get him hacking on his own by the end of that week, he did it the first day and we have been hacking alone every since, with few refusals to go.

1 Sept - I had my old girl PTS, this was a very sad time but at least I was off work for the next week and a half, so I had time to be sad without having to work.

Since then Sam had an abscess following his first official hoof trimming, after having his shoes removed the previous year - but that sorted it self out within a week.

Started schooling practice again about 6 weeks ago and he really did protest, I had a few rears and bucks but 3 weeks ago he humped his back as I lost my stirrup and I fell off!! I don't think he was trying to get me off and he looked totally shocked, since then he's been on his best behaviour! We had a great session today, practising some dressage for this weekend

about a month ago, I put on my brave pants and took him out around the roads on his own, I don't normally do this as our yard is on a sharp bend on a 60mph road and he had napped there when he's on his own! the first time he napped and refused to go for about 3 or 4 mins but eventually he gave in and went! then I went again 2 weeks later and he napped for about 20 seconds and gave in! both times he was brilliant once he was out!

Even though he sounds like a brat, he's come along such a long way, he's had a lot of pain issues in his short life, so these are all massive achievements for him! I'm super proud of him
 
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