So when did you know you had found you 'one in a million' horse?

I saw a video of her jumping and even though we couldn't afford her I was obsessed with her. Told everyone about her. She is my horse of a lifetime. 110% smitten
 
I didn't, I'd always wanted a foal to bring on myself and got my Dartmoor hill pony, remember being stood in the field trying to choose which foal, there was something especially sensitive about tigger and I felt he'd need the most help as he'd been used in a demo and not taken too well to being pretty much lassoed and dragged around, think the idea was he was supposed to face up but he was a quivering wreck and he wasn't going to forgive and forget his first human interaction easily! So I had to have him. The bond we have and what feel for that pony is out of this world, I have tears when I think about our 7 years together as recently had to rehome him due to my I'll health and being unable to look after him, he's like my soul and I'm quite lost not seeing his face.

Couldn't say how I knew he'd be the one, fate made sure I chose him I guess!:-)
 
Hi,

I'm a sucker for a hard-luck story and a pair of gentle eyes. He's not one-in-a-million but so good on the ground and with my little uns that riding wise - it's only a matter of time. :D
 
I knew Skippy was "The One" the minute they led him out the stable when I went to view him. He and I had 14 happy years together until he died in my arms :(

Arnie was slightly different. I met him the day he was born and decided I really really wanted him. 6 months later I bought him. He was bought to be a companion for Skippy and to be a spare horse rather than my main riding horse. We didnt really click for a long time but by god, once we did that was us. I never thought I'd be lucky enough to have 2 horses of a lifetime in a lifetime but I have and I know just how lucky I have been.
 
With mine it was at first sight, before she was close enough to even touch or knowing anything about her, or even if she was for sale. I just knew. It will be 22yrs in spring & even during her less than perfect younger years I never once doubted she was the one. Even though I've outgrown her ability wise & my legs look too long, she's still my one in a million, I can't imagine feeling the same for another as I do for her.
 
Went to go and 'try' her....didn't even know what she was like, just got offered a mare to ride.

Turned up on big livery yard, with about 20 odd horses in....I'd got there before owner who got delayed. Something just took me straight to her stable to the muddy little mare that was in there. Saw her and that was it. Saw through the mud and out of shape ness, and just had 'something' about her.

Owner turned up...and it was his mare that I'd come to try.
 
Couldn't stand her from her advert pics, she kept looking at me with her big ugly face, but it turns out they had taken awful pictures.

I relented and went to see her after I had been looking for months, she was a mare, I didn't want one, she was a piebald cob, I didn't want one, she was also smaller than I wanted.

She was the only one where I didn't call anyone afterwards with a list of questions, I said yes as soon as I got off her. I was a nervous rider and I knew she was the one the minute I took a deep breath, cantered her around the paddock, she didn't come back to me right away but I didn't worry one bit - she was just having a great time. I described her as 'jolly'. That was it, deal done. For a damn sight less than she was advertised at ;)
 
I rode him after his owner had a bad fall from him, he had gained the name of 'killer horse' and she wanted him pts, he was my 'one in a million' I ended up owning him , we had 10 years together, he died in my arms. There will never be another Bru
 
Tonight! Lol very sappy but my instructor whom I bought my mare off sat up on her tonight and was literally in tears, I'd a crap first 3 mths but the past 3 mths we have gone from strength to strength and my instructor saw that tonight. We looked like a proper team:)
 
Aww showpony that's lovely - congrats :D

Mine I 'knew' when I saw him in the field - it went against logic and i didnt know he was for sale at the time and I certainly wasn't really looking - but I remember vividly looking at him in the field and ' knowing' he was mine :) weird I know. :)
 
HorsesHavingFun said:
As title really, just curious. Was it when you set eyes on them? When you bought/loan/rode them? :)
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He was four and a half years old and I was the first client to hack out on him. We were riding through the village with another horse and a staff mamber when round the corner came a fire engine in full cry. Thought it would be the end of it all but kept calm and horse just took his cue from me and ignored the great roaring red dragon bearing down on him. Didn't flick an ear. That was when I decided he was mine. When he was 9 I had my chance, bought him and in 13 years I have never had reason to regret the decision.
 
Usually I fall in love with horses right away, but with Ned it was gradual.
I can't actually remember the day I decided I must have him, but it was roughly 2 or 3 years back :P
 
We walked into his stable, to see him finishing of the tin of treacle he'd managed to get by some mad ninja skills. His owner groaned and laughed and jokingly told him off and he looked at her and 'smiled' with his upper lip right up. He was genuinely laughing at her. How can you say no to a horse like that? He was so wise and clever and pretty much human in his behavior and I wanted him then and there.

I went on a hack to try him out, and he was just the most perfectly naughty monster around. He read me in an instant, and was a gentleman to pull up and was never strong when we cantered but when we walked and trotted he was throwing himself all over the road and being a massive tit. It was like he instantly understood me. Our time together was always like that though. He never crossed the line, was never nasty, always clever and funny and completely bonkers and he was a once in a lifetime horse. I knew it as soon as we got him, and now he is gone he is still the most missed horse.
 
Lolo said:
We walked into his stable, to see him finishing of the tin of treacle he'd managed to get by some mad ninja skills. His owner groaned and laughed and jokingly told him off and he looked at her and 'smiled' with his upper lip right up. He was genuinely laughing at her. How can you say no to a horse like that? He was so wise and clever and pretty much human in his behavior and I wanted him then and there.

I went on a hack to try him out, and he was just the most perfectly naughty monster around. He read me in an instant, and was a gentleman to pull up and was never strong when we cantered but when we walked and trotted he was throwing himself all over the road and being a massive tit. It was like he instantly understood me. Our time together was always like that though. He never crossed the line, was never nasty, always clever and funny and completely bonkers and he was a once in a lifetime horse. I knew it as soon as we got him, and now he is gone he is still the most missed horse.
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Aww! That reminds me so much of Blobby. He knew exactly how far he could go with naughtiness without being dangerous. He could be a safe and sane bombproof plod, but could step it up a gear for those who wanted it. He was so funny and I just couldn't ever be cross with him. He truly had a sense of humour!
He has also passed away, everyone who knew him think he was the best horse to ever grace our yard! I'm so glad I got a few happy years with him :)
Archie was a bit more of a challenge and could throw in a silly spook every now and then, he was like the rebel that all the girls loved. He was never nasty either and had loved a joke too.
I miss those boys, but at least I have my Neddy.

This is my most favourite picture. It has all my 3 boys (even though Archie and Blobby were never mine) they were so special.

Ned, Archie and Blobby <3
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I've been very lucky and had two perfect one in a million horses, and now possibly a third. My first boy I saw as a rescue at a riding school bought him out of sympathy and fell head over heels for him a few weeks in. After I lost him I was looking for a between 4 and 7 yr old Cleveland Bay x as a riding horse. My lad was a gangly young unbroken piebald cob with two blue eyes, a big grin and a personality to die for. I had him less than a week before I knew he was perfect for me. Many years on he still is! My mare I've had now for almost 5 years, she'll be 6 in June and I've only started to realise how special she is over the last 8 months or so, and it's mostly been because my boy was away at Rockley so I took the time to get to know her and realised I do actually own two horses, not just my lad and a pretty mare to brush when there's nothing better to do. Just realised what an awful owner that makes me sound like, but don't worry she's never wanted for anything and has always come when I've called so I can't have been that bad! :o
 
Because when I went to try him, he just made me giggle and laugh because he was such a character and so lovely. I rode him in the arena and he made me laugh so much trying to get him to canter that I had to give up or fall off laughing and then I hacked him out and he was nosing at everything and just so lovely to ride. He was mine before I even parted money.
 
The moment I walked round the corner and saw her. She has caused me endless heartache and is totally unsuitable for what i want to do but..i gave it all up for her.
 
the minute I drove onto his old owner's ride and watched her stomp across the field with him caked in mud, the sun shone on his back and and his eyes were bright and the choir began to sing ;) and I nearly fell out of the car in excitement.
 
I was looking for a tb gelding type last year - around 15hh.

Searching through horsemart I saw a 14.1 coloured cob mare, awful picture, hairy legs, little gangly thing (4 yrs old) but kept looking at the ad. Eventually decided to go have a look at her, and fell in love. She came home with me last feb.

She is an absolute dream to own. She's only a baby but takes everything in her stride, is gorgeous to ride, tries her little heart out always. She's enjoying hacking over the winter while she grows up a bit more but really looking forward to getting her out to some events in the spring and summer.
 
mine was when i went to look at her, 16.1 3 year old coloured warmblood x tb, very very skinny, looked awful to be honest and had had next to no contact or training but was something about her, fell in love with her big floppy ears kind eye and big heart, year and a half later broken in and is an absolute dream tries so so hard for you at everything and is so amazingly level headed for a 4.1/2 year old nothing phases her we do everything togeather shows hacks out etc she now looks much much better and is a huge 16.3 eeekk she has a home for life with me now.. :)
 
I was very unenthusiastic about max when I first took him on loan. Through no fault of his I had just had a very bad experience with my previous horse and my confidence was shot. I had also been riding my YMs saint of a dales pony who she had intermated I could have on loan but she thought he was probably a bit small for what I wanted to do, I even posted on here about it. Anyway both YMs loved Max and thought him perfect so I listened to them (as my judgement was so wrong previously) and boy am I glad I did!

Within 6 weeks I knew I had my horse of a lifetime. I think the turning point was when I took him to jump cross and although he was a bit wound up at the start it wasn't too scary and I coped well with it and once we were out on the course he was amazing and totally looked after me :) I bought him 3 months later and whilst he isn't the saint the dales is he is saintly enough for me but still challenges me in an acceptable way so I also keep improving.

If I ever buy another (2nd lol) horse I know who I'll be taking with me :)
 
I was due to try a number of ponies, and had been going from lorry to lorry to see them, and hadn't really loved any of them - and as I walked around the corner of one lorry there she was, and she just looked at me with her ears pricked, and I was gone.

I tried 5 ponies that day, and she was tried by 3 other people - I was so scared they'd like her too but no one did. You know when you just click with a horse? I just love that pony, she's not the fastest, not the flashiest, but she is the more honest, kindest pony I've had the pleasure of playing - she's just wonderful. Look at that face!

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The day after I got him home, I went into the field to check on him, he walked up to me and I threw my arms around him gave him a massive cuddle. He loved every minute of all the fuss I gave him. - This sounds really soppy, but I'd had a really rough year, and I knew just then that it was going to get better :)
 
As soon as the seller took off his rug and I saw his appaloosa markings, plus his very laid back, lazy attitude, kind eye and, well, yes, I completely fell in love with him. That was nearly 6 yrs ago and he is still mine and the best horse by far I've ever owned. Shame he is now 19 and needs a bit of a quieter life! How will I find another like him I don't know....
 
I had 2 ponies when I was young then after I married and had my second child I loaned a lovely mare. When she went back after 2years I then bought a gelding, I had him about 3 years and although I loved him we didn't really click so after lots of consideration I sold him. A friend told me that this lady (her friend) was selling her mare as she didn't get along with her.
I made an appointment to go and view the mare, we walked to the field and there was 5 horse in it. I pointed to one of them and said "I like that one", to which the lady said that's the mare for sale. We walked over and the mare came to me and cuddled me, the lady said she has never done that with me. I rode her and instantly fell in love.

I still have her now 9 years later and we have such a bond together. I love her to pieces and we get on great.
 
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