Weird question.... how much do you like riding your horse?

[Alibear]

This week we have cracked solo hacking, and Amber has not had a care in the world. I haven't been able to hack out solo in over a decade, and this week, it's made such a difference to my happiness. Amber had a health wobble earlier this year, and it made me appreciate how well-trained and well-behaved she is and the amount of work that has taken. That said, I still need to work on getting her settled in the arena at the new yard, so there's always something to work on. I do love riding her and am very happy once we're going, but I still often have to talk myself into it, and that's a reflection on me, not her. I'm always smiling by the end of the session.
Only 1 horse previously has been able to do all that I can do on Amber, and it was a tougher journey with Chloe, I was just younger and bounced more easily. If I can learn to ride Amber in a more settled and consistent pace in the show pen, she'll be perfect.

 

[AandK]

* How much do you like riding your own horse(s)?
I love riding my 10yo and adored riding my now retired 26yo, he was like putting on the old, comfy slippers. It took me a very, very long time to get over having to retire him and accept I would never sit on him again... Both quick, willing learners, so lovely to work with.

* Do you find yourself wishing you were sat on something else?
Only very occasionally, as much as I adore him, if Charlie is being a bit tricky about something (gates out hacking can be hit and miss and he is still getting used to going out and about now he is not a racehorse!) then I do wish I was sat on Andy, he was the go anywhere type. I feel awful thinking it, but it happens!

* How often do you find you feel nervous or intimidated by your horse's behaviour under saddle?
Never on Andy. Only felt a bit nervous once on Charlie in the last 4yrs, which was last year when he was eventually diagnosed with ulcers.

* Do you ever feel like your horse isn't athletic/sporty enough for you?
No, never felt like that on either of them. They are both thoroughbreds so naturally athletic, and they have more than enough sporty-ness for me!

 

[Belmont]

I ask myself this question often!
My relatively new schoolmaster, I adore riding. Of all the horses I've ridden, he's the one I've felt is totally suited to me. Safe as houses, but forward and responsive whatever the weather.
My little mare however, was bought as a project 7 years ago and she's still here. She's 14hh, coloured and a mare (I like big, Irish geldings!). She's quirky, strong as an ox and very quick when she wants to be! Never nasty, just spicy. I tried selling her before covid as she was 12 and I thought I'd give it my best shot at finding her a home, but simply no one could ride her. I ended up loaning her to a teenager who was a good little rider, but come the winter when her workload decreased, the girl lost confidence. After that I decided I'd keep her as a hack for the rest of her days (albeit she can only hack in company, so only goes out when I have a friend with me), as despite not particularly enjoying riding her, I do love the bones of her. I often feel sad for her when I compete the other one, as she'd be an amazing competition pony, but I simply don't have the need for speed like she does and no other small, strong adults that want a gutsy pony!

 

[Skib]

I do love riding her and am very happy once we're going, but I still often have to talk myself into it, and that's a reflection on me, not her. I'm always smiling by the end of the session.

That is me on my saintly share mare. OH gets fed up with me. I fret terribly before we leave. And come back smiling.

 

[Cloball]

I loved riding my new pony when I went to try her, I didn't want to get off and felt like a teen again. My anxiety as a new owner has slightly taken over now she's home although she's been a delight and done nothing untoward so I am sure I will get there again.

On the other side have definitely ridden horses I did not enjoy riding. Usually they are very heavy in the hand or require a lot of leg, usually both. I find it funny how horses can surprise you by being so much fun to ride even if on paper they shouldn't be. Surely that's one of the reasons we do it.
Some of my favourites straight off have been a Highland pony I was rehabbing post stifle injury she's was so forward and cute and came on so nicely despite a bus trying to run us over once, a tiny Hispano arabe who was like riding a bouncy ball but had a mouth like butter and was bombproof. Others such as my loan pony as a teen took a lot of work and lessons but turned out to be fantastic.

Its been about 6 months of Darcy pony now and we've had a few sticky bits but she makes me beam after our lessons she has such a sweet attitude and I laugh all around our hacks as she storms and bounces about

 

[FitzyFitz]

* How much do you like riding your own horse(s)?
I love riding both of mine, despite the occasional amateur dramatics. I enjoy riding the rest of the family horses too especially our oldest who is worth her weight in gold, can be 100% relied upon to go anywhere and not be phased.

* Do you find yourself wishing you were sat on something else?
Only occasionally, when they're being needlessly silly about something, I generally wish I was sat on the other one as their dramatics tend to be about different things. Never someone elses horse (excepting our old girl) as they're never quite right for me. I love the little idiots.

* How often do you find you feel nervous or intimidated by your horse's behaviour under saddle?
Occasionally. I had some fairly major braking issues only when being passed in competition on one of them which was scary, and once attended a ridden clinic where another horse in the ring was being naughty and for whatever reason REALLY antagonised my own pony so I was having pretty major issues. Only time he's ever reared. I cried
Other pony took a very long time to build a working relationship with, she's very very sharp and sensitive and reactive so it took a long time to build up confidence in where her boundaries were and how far she'd take it, and for her to build her trust in me. Nowadays she can still often be a tad volatile but I'm happy to just sit there calmly because I know what she will and won't do to me.

* Do you ever feel like your horse isn't athletic/sporty enough for you?
Nope! Despite their short, hairy stature, they are quite zippy and agile enough for me!
Although, one of mine recently retired due to injury and I very much miss his super surefooted mountain goat nature. He is still occasionally rideable but struggles on rougher terrain. He's a go anywhere do anything pony no more

I tend to keep horses until they drop so they don't stay if I don't get on well with them and enjoy them. I've definitely worked with or borrowed many I didn't enjoy though, usually because they were lazy or pushy or excessively stubborn. Or too big (eg regular horse sized, lol) so I felt odd on them.