What is your biggest achievement with your horse?

GlitterPup

GlitterPup

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Just a bit of fun really but as title says, what is your biggest achievement with each of your horses? Photo's would be lovely if you have them! :)

Mine is getting Missy from an unhandled and scared pony to a pony who comes for walks with me, meets the public and is now learning tricks! :biggrin3:

I never thought i'd even touch her let alone do this!!
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Please share your achievements! :biggrin3:
 
Well I have only had my new boy since December, and he was a very green youngster who couldn't walk in a straight line as he had only been broken and turned away. Today we have been on a hack for the 1st time around the village, didn't bat and eye lid at cars, a lorry or the scary day glo runners. Walked over a bridge with the river raging below (was a little unsure of this but with a little encouragement crossed twice). He is now working in a lovely consistent outline and started jumping. Today he jumped 1m as if it was nothing. So proud of him, can't wait until he is up to hunting which is my aim.
 
With Pickle my greatest achievement was probably last year when we won a BE100 section at Allerton Park.

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Having said that, in the last few weeks he has won 2 BE100 JAS classes and come 3rd in his first Novice JAS (qualifying for the finals), so hopefully our greatest achievement is yet to come!!!

With Jem, my greatest achievement has to be competing at Badminton in the BE90 Grassroots Championships. Given that 2 years previously I had bought her for £100 due to her supposedly being a 'nutter', I was pretty proud of where our hard work had got us!

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She went on to finish 7th overall in the country for foundation points won in the 2012 event season, and won her last event of 2013.

For Murphy it was getting placed at Intermediate level.

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And for Millie who came from the meat man it was defying everyone and completing Weston Park CCI* with a clear XC!

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And finally with Celeste my homebred (out of Millie) it is getting her backed, and she seems to be becoming a civilised member of the equine society!

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Sorry for the overload, there have been a lot of highs, and probably an equal number of lows, but that is horses!
 
I think mine is overcoming my fear of towing a trailer, and overcoming loading (non loading) problems, to the point where I could load my boy myself, and tow to events. Now I've started all over again because I've bought a 7.5 ton lorry. I picked it up myself and drove it home despite being terrified to drive something so huge. I've worked on loading my horse and I've practiced driving it. Now I just have to put the two together and drive the lorry WITH the horse inside :eek::eek::eek:
 
I am in my forties, didn't have a horsey upbringing but dreamt of them everyday as a child.
Bought a riding school horse as my first at 34 and it has all been a dream come true.

A broken back and a wrong horse later I got my mare.

My biggest achievement was just looking at my mare that I'd had a couple of months at the time, tied up, looking gorgeous next to my own trailer and 4 x 4 !!!!!
I had just done my first competition aged 40 with my own horse :) It was only a walk trot test but it felt like a massive achievement! Still have to pinch myself sometimes that I am actually living the dream.

Compared to a lot of you its a minor thing but I felt so proud!
 
With my current mare its keeping her happy and sound at the age of nearly 22 after lots of health issues. With my previous horse it was at a local show when i was up against 2 horsey daughters whose parents and their tack shop sponsored the class. They had expensive horses ,i had a mad little sec D who could turn on a sixpence if she was in the right mood. I won the class ,money a bag of feed and a sash. I was over the moon,still makes me happy about 30 years on,
 
Biggest achievement with my boy (bought aged 16 as a happy hacker) was entering a fun one day event at my yard, I think we came dead last as our dressage was and always will be awful but he was fantastic in the show jumping and cross country and we both had a blast!
He has restored my confidence and enjoyment of riding - despite being difficult, stubborn and strong he is incredibly brave and genuine and certainly knows his job!


 
For me going from first ever riding lesson Nov 2012 to days after getting him on loan, to hacking out just me and him from June last year :)

Didn't really have a choice as have no one to come out with me and got fed up of circles in the school, first time was terrifying- had my first ever walk and trot outside of the yard and he took off at a gallop! Best thing ever to happen though, I live for those gallops now!
 
Ive achieved so much with lucy but I think so far it has to be jumping a few fences linked together at 1m !! I never thought we would be able to do that this early in her 5 year old year ! A month ago we were doing 80 in training with not much power & to go to that makes me really proud. Ive really been putting the work in fittening & strenghtening on the flat &its paid off... hopefully soon il have some competition best bits :D
 
Wow these are great stories - every one of them. Swampdonkey I really identify with yours, as I had my first horse at the age of 43 having first been horse mad at the age of 3. There is nothing like that first show / competition to wipe away all the envy of those pony-owning kids from your childhood!
 
I just love that picture of you and Missy - you are on a wonderful journey with her. And Charlimouse - I love all your horses, but Pickle is amazing.

This time last year I was totally demoralised. I had been told by my then instructor that my horse was too good for me. I changed instructors and worked so hard and we came 2nd out of 30 in our RC dressage champs last Autumn (having qualified twice). Ok, it was only at Intro level, but we all have to start somewhere. He's just coming back into work after a winter break, and today I lunged him as I am waiting for my saddle to be adjusted. I have to confess I am quite excited about the coming season. :)
 
nikicb said:
I just love that picture of you and Missy - you are on a wonderful journey with her. And Charlimouse - I love all your horses, but Pickle is amazing.

This time last year I was totally demoralised. I had been told by my then instructor that my horse was too good for me. I changed instructors and worked so hard and we came 2nd out of 30 in our RC dressage champs last Autumn (having qualified twice). Ok, it was only at Intro level, but we all have to start somewhere. He's just coming back into work after a winter break, and today I lunged him as I am waiting for my saddle to be adjusted. I have to confess I am quite excited about the coming season. :)
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Nikicb - Well done at keeping going, but what kind of instructor tells their pupil that the horse is to good for them. As long as horse and rider enjoy what they are doing does it really matter if the horse can go further?
 
My first achievement was actually getting a horse in the first place. Second, backing my little mare, 3rd backing my stallion and 4 finally finding a horsey fella!!
 
This time last year I had a horse that I could barely ride. She was extremely difficult, nappy,reactive and explosive. Even with someone leading us she was verging on dangerous and I really considered giving her up (she was new to me) as I didn't think she would ever be right for me. Thankfully we managed to have break through and have since gone from strength to strength. I guess the biggest achievement is that we are still 'together' and we have overcome our worst problems.

Competition wise I had never competed before so it was a major thing for me when we started going out and about. I suffered with crippling nerves that prevented me from eating for days but on our second outing we managed to win both classes at a championship show. I couldn't believe it!

I am so pleased by how far we have both come; she has tested me far more than any other horse but she's also made me a better rider and has taught me the value of patience, perseverance and commitment.

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She still has her moments mind but she is 1000x better than what she was!
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With my Appy, it is probably going Hunting with him and having a great time - keeping up with the field and jumping with the big boys!

With my ISH, as others have said: it's everything we now do! He is a quirky character, and we have had many setbacks but seem to be slowly getting there so any improvement is an achievement in my eyes!
 
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