What made you chose your horses?

Nah, I dont mean it, he did have a smidgen of potential there somewhere
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I loved his attitude too.
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I knew I would buy him just fropm watching the videos/seeing the pics his old owners sent.
 
Catembi - fell head over heels as soon as I saw the dealer riding him, despite him being a hand too big & over budget. Had a fab 4 1/2 years with him & did stuff I never dreamed I'd do.

After I lost him, I got Adrian because he had similar breeding to Cat, good jump & good paces. I was still too upset over Cat to think with my heart, so I had to think with my head & hope that the rest would click in time. And it has.
 
Well the owner sent pics of him to me and I fell in love! So we travelled from derby to Llandudno to view him! When I tried him he made me laugh. I could nto get him to canter, just trot megga fast so I gave up as I was in hysterics at him! When I hacked him out he was following my husband everywhere down the lanes and trying to nudge him. He was just a very green honest character who made me laugh...that was enough for me to decide he was the one.
 
In some ways I chose my current horse quite clinically by doing lots of research into native breeds suitable for adults to ride. I decided that Highlands were for me and then a fellow HHOer pointed me in the direction of Nelly's ad. I rang and spoke to her owner who was lovely, had her vetted & transported from Scotland and completely fell in love with her as she emerged blinking into the sunshine off the transporters enormous posh lorry.

My YO says I was mad to buy her sight unseen but she also acknowledges that she is the perfect pony for me
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After losing my confidence and selling my previois horse, I got on spooks and for the first time in 3 years i felt safe. It was like going home - we went for a potter around the lanes, popped him over the worlds smallest jump and i still felt safe so he was sold!!
 
With Tara, I just knew as soon as we saw her in the stable and she let me cuddle her
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And I felt so at home on her when jumping...we just clicked
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Lady was a total gamble. When we saw her she was an absolute mess- her owner got on and she could barely walk, and trotted about 3 strides. She reared/napped every few strides, and wouldn't stand still. When I got on her she nearly bucked me straight back off again! She was so naughty, so undernurished- she looked like an RSPCA case! But we could just see the glimmer of potential in her, we could see how beautiful she could be- the best decision of my life
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He was totally the opposite to what i was looking for - having lost my confidence on my old mare i was looking for a school master who was kind to repair it on - he was for sale with behavioral problems. Was looking at the horse in the stable next door but this pretty little grey (i hate greys) head just took my heart... first time i sat on him i knew i'd trust him through anything - so he was a terror cheeky as hell with no manners but has turned into the loveliest pony you could ask for (still a terror but in a cheeky school boy way).

He's my best friend - even though he may not be ridable again he's got a home for life with me and before his lameness i turned down 5 offers of a lot of money for him...

I think they choose you sometimes - it was like he looked at me and said - I'm so unhappy take me home and love me.. he frets when i go away now and will only eat if i feed him etc - but i'm happy to sacrifice holidays for how pleased he is when he sees me!!!
 
Ellie - friend found her for me, cheap if she went that weekend so i trusted my friend and took her unseen. 5yrs down the line i dont regret it and will never sell her.

Lux - wanted another horse whilst Ellie was in foal, enquired with a dealer and he had just got him in from Belgium he was not advertised and i just fell in love at 1st sight. Have had so issues (another story) but dont regret it and one day he'll be a fab horse

Dunlop - belongs to YO's. Went with them on a day trip to look at horse for them and out of all of them he was the one i didnt try before they tried him. When they got him home he was too much for them and i have now got him on loan and wouldnt be handing him back without a fight
 
we went to view a horse 100 miles away and it was lame so dropped into the riding school next door and they had one horse for sale, hadnt done a thing with it all winter and he had come from the kings troop. tried him in there indoor school and he was lolloping around amongst all the dressage horses (trialblazers comp going on at the time ) and he didnt bat an eyelid. loved his temperament, ash hated him so i bought him! they had there problems in the early days but she wouldnt swap him for the world now.
The pony, again didnt go to see her specifically but the one we had gone to see wasnt suitable so they brought another one out, also not suitable so then they get meg out.. ,6yr old green as grass ,been used in the riding school and the ultimate kick along, napped like hell when ash tried to hack her so bought her too. I did have to get on a couple of times and sort the napping out.Ash didnt like her either! she will go on loan when T has outgrown her.
sophie was a 'how much ' ad on the forum and i saw her pics ,read the description and just had to have her. what did it for me was when nervous number 2 daughter got on her and was quite happy riding her around.
 

Gem - shetland filly SO SO cute!

Pride - don't know really..she bit me as will

George - He was alright 2yo

Tia - fat friendly cheap with a lot of potential

I met one pony that was THE one, love at first sight - something special..was looking after her until her old man owner tried it on with me *vomit* so had to leave her be immediately. Nervous/unhandled mare but so affectionate. With handling the nerves went and she loved being brought in and fussed over. Now someone else looks after her and they're really happy because old man told them they were the only ones able to catch her - my a** kick me in the teeth why don't you
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I'll always love that mare
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A friend of mine had my highland as a yearling and I thought how awful he looked. When she advertised him as a two year old I went to see him and what a transformation. I led him up the road, under a railway bridge with a train going over it, up to the main road, heavy lorries and constant traffic, he didn't seem to notice any of it. He's been the same ever since. He has beauty, temperament, character and is so adaptable. He's 16 now and my horse of a lifetime.
 
The first time I rode Merry I fell off and when I got back home and thought about it over a brew, I decided it was actually really funny and thought I'd go back for another go! Fortunately her owner at the time (abbey_tilly) had the patience of a saint and within very little time we were blatting round XC courses and going hell for leather allt he places you shouldn't! She really taught me to ride! I miss her
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My criteria was - 16.2hh +, 4-7 years old, MW, and preferably grey!!!!
Saw an advert in H&H at 7.30am, tiny little line advert. Sounded what I wanted. Phoned the guy and he said he already had someone coming at midday, I said I could be there by 10am if I left now!
Walked onto the yard and he put his head over the stable door - I knew from that moment I had to have him. He was great tor ride, had super paces for a big chap, jumped like a stag. He was perfect. Got him vetted the next day and was home by the Saturday. 10 years on and he is still my superstar one in a million horse.
 
Lottie, she was the right size and the person who tried her before me leathered her, sold!! My previous pony was a real biter and kicker so something gentle like lottie was a revelation, hated riding her for about 10 years!

Beau, She's pink!!! I knew the moment i saw her. nice nature, unbacked. I wanted a spotty and I could (nearly) afford her.

Iceni, I knew I'd find a way to buy her the minute I saw her advertised online, and I did, despite her biting me when I went to see her!!

Hope, was going for slaugter due to a back injury. She's lame but not in any discomfort and such a lovley nature, I bought her to sell on as a companion. (lady coming to see her tomorrow, please cross fingers for her!!)

Lilly (new addition) She got herself tangled up at the sales and fell over, lots of superficial damage, had been on lorry for 24 hrs no food or water, when I walked away she went nuts till I went back. Took her home. Am now patching her up, she's turning out to be a real star.
 
He ticked most of the boxes.
He was near.
Sounds cold but I'm not into that love at first sight thing with horses or humans
I love him to bits now though
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it sounds odd, but when i heard her name
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my sister was going to ride her at the RS and i was jealous as hell. i saw her lined up on the yard, and that was it. she was stunning and stood out like a gem in a crowd. still had that feeling every time i saw her right up until the day she died 15 years later
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(3 months today:(:()
 
My NF had a huge mohican mane and a cheeky glint in his eye.. was naughty ever since he was a baby and at 15 he hasnt changed
 
once i finished uni and got the course i'm doing now sorted i could actually afford a horse so started looking but fairly passively, i expected to be looking months, as i just wanted a safe, sensible allrounder, which was easy to do, prob a MW type. Anyway spoke to a friend who was going to help me find one about one which we were going to go see and arranged the veiwing, anyway he rang up the night before after speaking to someone he knew who had one who 'might be for sale' but wasnt advertised, and as it was on the way thought we'd have a look. I didnt know anything else about him. Anyway we got there and he was looking out and seemed nice enough, but once he had his rugs taken off i just remember thinking wow, and when i rode him i can honestly say i have never ridden anything like him, he was lovely, at this point i still didnt no his price so decided he was well above my budget, turns out he wasnt too far out. We went to see the other and it was not at all what it was advertised as and just made the first look even better, so we went back the next weekend and took him home. He's 7/8thoughbred and quite green 8yr so not at all what i was looking for but he is the best money i have spent and i hope to never have to sell him as i dont think i could find a replacement! just writing this has made me smile!
 
It's so nice to see how much you all love your horses and want to keep them forever. On most yards round here i get a bit depressed because most people seem to swop their horses for one that does a particular job, use up the one you've got then sell it someone else and get another one. Especially the livery side of the riding school. the kids who should love their horses forever just see them as an accessary and if it wont jump it goes and they dont even care. Then they buy a bigger one to ruin
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you lot have cheered me up and made me feel all heartwarmed
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Chestnut - just a lovely fat friendly nuzzly horse. I didn't know it at the time but he is also the most all round horse ever - can play polo, do dressage, SJ, events, hunts and I have taught small children and elderly novices on him as well. When I bought him, I said 'I'm not looking to go to Badminton, just something nice' and the guy said 'Oh this one? He'd go to Badminton, I've got that much confidence in him'. He's a bit old and fat now, but if I'd been ambitious for him, he certainly could have gone a long way eventing.

Grey - cheap, sharp and gorgeous. Chestnut needed a friend. Has turned out to be the most scopey horse I've ever owned, will pop 1.20 with lots of space to spare!! Bargain..
 
Well I wanted a coloured and Bodey looked finer than the other 30 or so cobs in the field, he still turned into a chunky monkey though!
Oh and I couldn’t get to know him that well as he as unhandled and unbacked so I don’t think I even got to touch him, but it was still love at first sight.
 
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I think they choose you sometimes - it was like he looked at me and said - I'm so unhappy take me home and love me.. he frets when i go away now and will only eat if i feed him etc - but i'm happy to sacrifice holidays for how pleased he is when he sees me!!!

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Exactly what she said ^ Harry saw me, and apparently said "that one" and then took me for a ride to show me he could look after me, even though he looked wild and spindly. The lady selling him actually turned the next people away, wouldn't let them try him. I was quite cynical about it, thinking she must have seen me as a mug - but she gave me infinite trial time with him, vetting, whatever I wanted. Even helped me to have him when the sale of my current mare fell through.
My friend called up about Delilah, as I didn't thing she'd be suitable, and at the very least would be already sold because she was so cheap. But she wasn't, we were the first to call, and so I made a humungous list of 'musts' to take with me - if she failed even one, I wasn't having her. She passed ALL of them, was just the sweetest, most genuine little mare. And I put a deposit down on her then and there. She's proved herself so many times over, taking 11 minutes to back - from first weight in stirrup to riding. I hope she'll be with me forever
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I'd already had one fail the vetting and was starting to get really dis-heartened. I had a rather small budget and everything we went to see was either a hand smaller than advertised or would have made a nice project pony.

Anyway someone from my yard knew a dealer that bought Welshies from the sales, said he had a mare that I might like, nice quiet quality mare, broken but not done anything, and a gelding (that supposedly he didn't want to sell).

We went into this little barn full of machinery and farm crap and there was this hairy beast tied up, couldn't get near it...swing its ass, paw at the ground. Proper rude thing. So the dealer takes it out and in this field right next to busy A road trotted it up for me. I swear it was like in the movies, everything went in slow motion, I heard music playing and I had to have him, (stupidly) didn't even try and get the price down.

3years on I don't regret it one bit...best thing I ever did, I don't care that I'm poor, and have no time for a social life, I love him to bits and he'll stay with me til his last days.
 
Scout, EMW pony, saw him up for rehoming, saw the words piebald and cob...that was it, dream horse was on the offering, contacted Laine, she knew me as had an EMW neddy before who'd had til he died and was instantly offered him on the spot, that was almost two years ago - wow!!

Pandora, gifted to me by my friend, she couldn't cope with her after losing her mare after foaling as had an orphan foal - she loaned out her ex-racer and Pandora was left, she wasn't sellable as foundered so badly, her daughter had lost total interest in horses and as such she'd sat in a field unridden and left too it, she foundered and we were supposed to be buying a chestnut colt welsh b...but ended up with a bay filly as told her if she wanted to gift her, we'd take her, it was with eyes open even if did question if was doing the right thing and there's been plenty of tears with them both, now she's here for the rest of her life, as is Scout
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but two is now more than enough, am not taking on any more
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I didn't choose him! I was a horse-mad teenager (still am!) and relying on loaning horses/riding other peoples' horses.

He came up for loan. The owner paid for everything for him, plus 3 lessons a week for for me (I got to ride every day as well) and for him to be mucked out in the week. Also he paid for riding clothes and showing gear for me.

The owner was a bit of a plank though...living a bit of a champagne lifestyle when he couldn't really afford it. When he went through a divorce he literally had no money, so gave the horse to me.

Thankfully it turns out that the little coloured cob I originally looked down my nose at is the perfect horse for me, so he's not going anywhere
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mine kind of came to me. Was loaning another pony at the time, when 2 horses ended up dumped in the field abandoned by their owner. one was that bad she could barely stand up. Mine was skinny but not too bad considerng he was an unfed TB with no rug all winter. he used to follow me round the field backwards until i scratched his bum and has such a sweet temperament. had vet check all his organs ect were ok and with a bit of bargaining he was mine
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Dad wouldn't pay for tickets to travel up to Scotland again.
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Also I could tell he had a nice belly button on him, he reared the whole time we looked at him, due to being stuck in a stable for 3 weeks with an over-reach, I didn't even ride him when we brought him just had to take him on the recommendation of my cousin
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Wouldn't recommend buying a horse under those circumstances although things have worked out well for us
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Jess
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My partner had died, leaving me with our devastated 13 year old daughter. 6 months later some legacy money finally came through. Instead of sensibly putting aside for a rainy day I went out and bought a pony for still grieving daughter. Broke all the pony-buying rules, bought the first one I saw, a totally nutty just backed very young chestnut mare who tried to kill us both by either bolting or rearing up and going over backwards. But, strangely, it was the best therapy. Daughter threw her heart and soul into the mare. We've now had her for 14 years and she is a total sweeheart.

A few years down the line someone gave my new partner and I a beautiful black shire horse that had been destined for meat as he had stringhalt. Shire horse was lonely in his field so I was lent an arab as a field companion........new partner, now my husband, ended up buying the arab for me. The shire very sadly died, but my gorgeous arab is with me for life.
 
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