Tell me about lovely bombproof happy hackers please?

Not a hairy one, i just wanted to share :D - but they carry me fine and im not as far away from that weight as i'd like :o. I have an appaloosa, he's not perfect, sometimes he jumps at a leaf then calmly walks forward as if the embarrassing display of cowardliness never happened :p.

But when i havent ridden in 3 weeks (and not regularly before then either), go on a hack and in the space of a 40 minute hack he gets children running and messing about close by asking me questions - not bothered. A dog attacked him! I believe he struck out at it just before it was able to do anything, then calmly carries on walking AND doesn't bat an eyelid at the next dog (actually on its lead) that barked at him :eek:. A small girl biked up his arse (i asked her to check his legs as it was not a suitable place to get off, and i wanted to get away from the dog) and he just keeps on plodding, not even a twitch or a flick of the ear :rolleyes:. Get on a busy road (buses etc.) surrounded by horses in fields. Then we walked past a gypsy camp, with someone banging some metal loudly right beside him, and all he did was side step a little snorting at the man - it was rather load tbf! Turned off the road onto a narrow track where i made him stop so i could talk to a friend, here he wasnt so impressed and did get fidgety (he hates standing :o) but walked away from the horse very happily! Finally managed to go for a good canter where i still had control despite him being rather eager ;)

So for a horse who had some time off then was hit with all that, it could easily have been a ride from hell; i was so chuffed and proud of him. He might get strong and be an impatient twit sometimes, but he's just a bundle of fun who would never try and dump you; he's a star :D

My tbx is just as bombproof, she rarely jumps at a leaf though :p, she just keeps a good eye on any children playing :rolleyes:. She's not got as much energy as spotty, she's not as smart and loves to dawdle; but she will easily go to any speed you want her to be at and has rather slow reactions (in comparison) when she does take an exception to something :). She's a sweetheart who will try her hardest for you and i adore her for it :D. First time she jumped a filler she didnt even look at it lol!
 
horsesatemychristmasmoney said:
Wow, not only am i jealous of your beautiful boy, but i'm also well envious of your lovely location! where is it? those rides look amazing! :)
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Thankyou - I am very lucky. The beach is Irvine beach in Ayrshire. It only takes 25 minutes to get to it with the trailer so we go there regularly. The dragon guards the beach:D (I have to confess, he stands high on a hill and Arnie was doing more snorting than your average dragon when he met him for the first time;)
 
Skippys Mum said:
We usually go there for the RRC clear rounds - if you are at the next one look out for me and say hello! Are you in the RRC?
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I just moved there at the end of July so was no point joining. Will join in January. I'll keep an eye out - I'll be the one clinging to the hyper chestnut :D
 
My youngster is normally pretty bombproof and he is a 5 year old ISH but has taken time. He can't be picked up he does need consistent work or gets a bit above himself. My old mare who is a 16.3 TB x cob, evented to intermediate and is truly bombproof so I would say its character not necessarily a breed!
 
I have a bombproof happy hacker.. But he's a chunky tb!
He used to be kept on an inner city yard so I've hacked him past buses, motorbikes, a group of men with a very loud drill, all traffic and he never bat an eyelid!
Now we like cantering through the countryside, don't see much traffic in his home with me.. I've never felt so safe on a horse! :)
 
Any chance someone can send me a happy hacker if they have a spare;) My Welsh Sect D is not one!!!! Thats a bit unfair really he is sometimes and is fantastic with traffic of any kind but has an issue with cats, children, blowing leaves, stones, dogs, people on foot etc etc etc etc, the list goes on.:(
 
My pure bred Arab (admittedly old and wise now!) was walking beside a hedge when a helicopter rose slowly up and took off on the other side of the hedge. "It's a helicopter, Tris", I said. "I know. Don't worry about it, we see it all the time" was his attitude as he plodded on......

He has been known to do an elaborate spook at a red admiral butterfly, though, just to make sure that I've seen it......
 
Mine would cheerfully amble along next to a string of roadworks, and not bat an eyelid at dogs barking at her. Even rode past a skip that was being delivered once. I think my issue with her was the sudden unexplained spooks that no one could ever find a reason for. Fine nine times out of ten, then bam - leap sideways, spin round and tank off with her head in the air. There was no slowing her either, until she had calmed down. Just had to ride it out. Thankfully she had the sense to still turn corners, so not actually bolting. Just not stopping!
 
I will say, she had brilliant feet though. Only issues with them were when she was trimmed badly. And she lived out and loved it.
 
Rufty is Arab Welsh cross and nothing bothers him.However he is forward going and loves to have a canter.
My Yard Owner who after an attack by a bull lost all confidence. in deep
 
My first pony is 32 now. Weve hacked everywhere, jumped rivers, raced my brother in his bike, plodded past tractors cattle wagoms and removal lorries!
She comes in our front garden, trims the grass then walks up the passage and trims our back grass.
Weve been on countless picnic rides where Ive got off and tied her to a tree. Last picnic ride was my birthday. Took her bridle off and let her loose in the wooded bit around the picnic bench, all she wanted to do was stand and watch us eat cake. She ended up having some
got caught out in rain on new years day this year so ended up bringing her into my conservatory and she put her front legs and head through the doors into the living room to watch the horse racing with my dad on tv!!
Have pictures but dint know how to post from a mobile.
Love her to pieces and would never part with her even though she is retired now :)
 
I have an little appy mare who is excellent out hacking. We've met deer, dogs, shooters, the hunt, helicopters, quadbikes, tractors/combines, dirt bikes, all the children from the local village school running across a green shouting 'horsey' and at shows she has encountered airplanes taking off right next to the trailer, a fairground and other random things and she never bats an eyelid. My totally novice dad rides her out hacking and she also gets ridden by ride judges when showing and the judges always come back with a smile on their face.
She is only just over 15hh but I am 5ft 10 and at my heaviest weighed 14st and she was fine.
She also will have a go at anything a bit of jumping (although that has only started recently due to my nerves) some dressage including having a go at an elementary test, sponsored rides she is also western trained but her faourite thing is showing and she is good at it.

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SmallHunter said:
I have an little appy mare who is excellent out hacking. We've met deer, dogs, shooters, the hunt, helicopters, quadbikes, tractors/combines, dirt bikes, all the children from the local village school running across a green shouting 'horsey' and at shows she has encountered airplanes taking off right next to the trailer, a fairground and other random things and she never bats an eyelid. My totally novice dad rides her out hacking and she also gets ridden by ride judges when showing and the judges always come back with a smile on their face.
She is only just over 15hh but I am 5ft 10 and at my heaviest weighed 14st and she was fine.
She also will have a go at anything a bit of jumping (although that has only started recently due to my nerves) some dressage including having a go at an elementary test, sponsored rides she is also western trained but her faourite thing is showing and she is good at it.

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Love her!!
Sounds just like my little 14.3hh Quarter Horse mare - nothing is a problem for her but always a fun ride :) Great pics!
 
Im putting in a vote for friesians :D

Bought this lady for my mum (50+) to get back into riding on, she's doing well cept can't ride at the mo as shes had an op on her bum (mum not the horse!) She's very good out, has the odd FFA moment where she stands and grows 5 hands to gawp at something but thats about it! My poo fairy (12 yr old who rides at local RS on a weekend) can hack her out happily even though she's like a pea on a drum!
PS they're hairy too!

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The more picture I see from christmassparkles the less I like her :p:D

I have a fat, semi hairy youngster. He is a gem to hack not scared of tractors, people on bikes, motorbikes, dogs, deer, quads etc, was a bit shocked about sheep in the distance but in 7 months that's the only thing he's been unsure of.

I've done the whole tb thing and I would never ever ever go back after having a hairy.

He plods, he schools, he jumps, would like to hunt and XC him in the next few years but I hope he is with me forever as he is my horse of a lifetime.

He does have a Kevin's moment now and then but I just ignore and he puffs on.
 
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*whispers* I grew my mare's mane down level with the underside of her neck...and she was an arab! I have hairy horse obsession, lol. Am definitely wanting one who is happy living out 24/7, btw.
 
Im growing the A's mane - the muppet who had her before put her in a badly fitting rug + neck cover and rubbed half of it out and half the thickness :eek::rolleyes:

She's living out and happy as a pig in poo :)
 
Lol, that's good then :D My boy:

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He was a racer til he was 6, then abandoned for 5 years before my friend rescued him a couple of years ago. I've had him for about a year now. He's perfect to handle and ride, not well schooled or anything at all but so geniune and never spooky or silly, but is still forward going and fun.
 
Just thought I would share my experience...
I am not a novice rider but really easily loose confidence and
after a nightmare time of it 3 years ago with a TB x I had, and schooling friends horses after that to rebuild confidence, I decided to look for another horse...

I have only had my mare since 3rd November this year and before I brought her I rode her 4 times, out hacking alone and in company and in the school and tried to think of every question there was to ask.

I have her on grass livery, she stepped off the box and went straight in the field with 4 others and started sharing a pile of haylage.

I hacked her out with someone walking with me the second day I got her. She will pass roadworks, people in bushes with dogs and umbrellas, she doesn't flinch when we have lorries and coaches with air brakes go past us..

I have to cross a busy A road as soon as I come out of the yard's driveway really. She stands stock still until asked to move. She will happily go at whatever speed I ask of her. She will stop to talk to people, comes out on a hack with 3 dogs...

In the school she does lovely walk to canter transitions and will easily pop a course of jumps.

She is the horse of my dreams and has really restored my confidence. She grooms me back when I give her withers a rub and comes trotting over to the field gate when I call her.

She is a 14.3 piebald cob mare, with lovely even markings and an excellent nature. She is 15 years old and I paid £1500 for her with tack and rugs. She was worth all that and more for the peace of mind she gives me out hacking and cuddles :)
 
Mine is not really a weight carrier (WBx), nor is she intended to be a happy hacker (more a RC allrounder), but she is bombproof to hack.

We bought her at rising 4 having done virtually no hacking (her second ever hack was when we tried her). But from virtually day 1 she has been brave as anything, nothing bothers her, it isn't that she is switched off or brain dead, she is just brave and likes to look after her rider.

The worst we have ever had from her is skittering forward a few strides, and that is normally in pretty extreme circumstances.

She goes out in high winds, when no one else is willing to even use the outdoor school never mind hack out. She is totally happy with all of the following; tractors, lorries, caravans, buses, dogs, hikers, helicopters, hotair balloons, peacocks, cows, sheep, pigs (even when they run over to the wall to say hello!), motorbikes, wind turbines, marquees, balloons fixed to lamp posts, flappy plastic, roadworks, skips, everything really...... in fact the only times she has ever needed a lead out hacking was to cross some nasty deep mud and the first few times we forded a stream.

She is also forward going but stoppable even when others get silly. I couldn't ask for a better horse to hack out, my OH is quite a nervous rider but she looks after him too. She's even been good coming off box rest, I was able to hop on after she'd not been ridden for over 6 weeks take her for a hack alone and it was as if she hadn't had a day off.

I'll try to pop a picture up in a bit.

PS. I'm so glad that we didn't buy a nice safe cob type as we were advised, as I doubt we would have found one that could be such a great hack! In fact she regularly babysits all the sensible first horse types!

Here's a picture of her out with the husband.
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