What made you decide on your horse

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horselady

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Hi all,
I just wondered what made you decide on your horse. For me I knew she was the one just when I saw her but it was her eyes that cemented it. Was wondering what it was for other people and if they had any regrets? All pics of horses appreciated and welcomed wholeheartedly as are all stories!
 
Hmm. With Millie it was her neverending enthusiasm for work.

With Kira, it was her cute curly ears :D She was completely feral and her previous owner had to get her husband on the end of the rope to help drag her down the field. But she had these cute curly welsh ears and that did it for me. Not my finest moment but she's turned out OK :o
 
Cobbo - because I was looking for a hoys quality traditional cob - which he qualified the next year - learnt a valuable lesson tho cos he's such a wuss that he could cope with evening performances - blew his very tiny mind... looked the part, trained the part but is a total stress head which takes a lot of care to manage... he can cope with evening performances now but his work suffers as he's concentrating on not exploding!

Mare - see I didn't learn bought her out of the field cos she trotted and cantered with AMAZING paces and she let me stroke her ears...
 
And those curly ears have proven to be the ears of a little superstar!

I'll join in and have a few pics to share. Not very exciting really as the main factor is always how they ride, or more accurately, that I feel I can ride them, they gave me a big grin and I knew I didn't want anyone else to have them!

- Monty - as he was super safe, felt very solid to hack out down a busy road. I hadn't jumped any that I'd tried but I felt happy enough to pop him over a few jumps first time I tried him. He proved himself over and over again, apart from being a bu&&er to load when he on his own. I did quite fancy a coloured horse at that time too, although all those white bits were a pain in the backside to keep clean.

- Tinky - she was gorgeous, and so lovely to ride. Forward and buzzy and lots of fun. More horse than I was used to though
and I'd previously made a mistake with a bucker, so I had a month's trial as I was a bit unsure. I think the decision was really made when she was a little superstar at Boomerang xc. Gave me such a lovely feeling into every fence.

- Finnegan - I wanted a dependable Irish sort. I thought he was too much for me at first and almost didn't get on him, but boy I was glad when I did. Lovely paces and made me look like I knew how to ride. That didn't last long once his 'sales schooling' wore off, but we're getting there!!

Monty
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Tinky
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Finnegan
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All mine were primarily chosen for ability & willingness to learn & work. It didn't hurt that they were also pretty & had individual personalities.

Over the years they've proved themselves in various disciplines & are still a pleasure to be around.
 
Pure gut instinct and it was the most right horse decision I have ever made. The previous two were not such good decisions but I stuck with the first until he died aged 28 and sold the second after I lost my confidence post a big fall.
 
He very politely asked for his saddle to be removed from his hay pile (where it was rested)
He did it by sweetly looking at me then at the hay that was covered by the saddle and then back to me before letting out a very large sigh😂🐴
After we moved the saddle he again looked sweetly at me before beginning to eat as if he was thanking me
In that one moment I knew he was the one for me 🐴
 
There was no decision when they are built like this and possess a golden temperament.

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Similarly, there was no decision with this one, it just arrived and I remain traumatised.

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I had seen and chatted to my current horse from when he was a baby in the field, and always thought he was a lovely chap and very handsome. Then shortly after I lost my first horse I watched him being laid across for the first time (YO produces and sells). It was his attitude to that and laid back willing demeanour that really made me want him. Before committing, I did ride him 5 weeks later, and felt so safe and comfortable. Just over two years on, I am so pleased and grateful to have such a cool little dude in my life!
 
My mare was loaned to me before I bought her. If I'm honest I probably wouldn't have viewed if it was a sale rather than a loan. When I first saw her tied up she did nothing for me, when I sat on her that all changed.

My eventer I part own I probably also wouldn't have bought if the decision was just mine. But the rider liked him, and I was swayed when he went off log hopping when turned loose in the arena of the Irish dealer.

The old boy I lost last year was pretty much love at first sight. He was exceptionally smart and I am exceptionally shallow.

The knackered one out on loan I'm not sure why I bought him, there was something about him I liked even if he wasn't what I set out to buy. He was a good safe interim horse having lost a bit of confidence on big grey horse.

Big grey horse I bought as a 2yo with a view to it replacing the old boy for eventing.
We just never gelled and I ended up selling him at 7, should have done it sooner.

The others I've owned have generally just been cheapies/projects as a stop gap.
 
My husband decided. I didn't want an abused, emaciated, wounded and nervous horse. She was everything I didn't want, especially after the disaster of my first horse who was way too much for me to cope with. I was a total novice at horse ownership, forget about the skills needed to rehab a maltreated horse. However, my husband wouldn't leave her and less than 24 hours later she arrived at our house. She spent 3 days running away from us in the field. Then I think the penny dropped and she realised she was safe. She followed me around the field glued to my side. That was 2 years ago. I adore her. She has her quirks and isn't an easy ride but she has no malice and is so sweet.I would not swap her for anything. Love her. <3
 
Well I saw the add photo showing a chestnut mare with a blaze and socks and l think I have a problem because that is my ideal combination. She bucked the rider off the first time I met her so that is a big plus. But really what did it when I got in her was the fact that despite being ridiculously under muscled and unbalanced she had one hell of a jump. 2 years later and fat lump has an even better jump and can buck REALLY well and is never going anywhere.
 
I had lost my horse of a lifetime to old age/crippling arthritis and had had him 22 years,so knew it was going be hard finding another but i could not go without having a horse in my life,they keep me sane and happy without i was just so miserable.
I looked all over the country at some lovely horses but just didnt feel anything,a year later my friend who had come with me all over the place as my guinea pig (she has no fear,im a bit nervous)mentioned a nf pony she knew of was up for sale and thought it would be worth me looking at him,he was a few miles up the road and as we walked up to him in the field i knew i was going to buy him,he has been very challenging,had all sorts of issues but i love him so much and he adores me!chunters away to me all the time looks for me,comes running down the field when he sees my car,feel so lucky to have him,he never fails to cheer me up and i will never sell him even though he is complete opposite of what i set out looking for.
wish i could post a photo but no idea what to do..
 

Her jumping in a 90 about a month ago I think. Also forgot to mention that her flat mane was another contributor as was so fed up of cob Mohawk.
 
My first horse, Maggie, came to me when I was 42 years old. I'd owned horses for many years but they were my daughter's, Maggie was my very own and I treasured her. I learned to ride informally out on hacks with a person at my yard and she was owned by a chap who was dating a yard friend. I loaned her for a few months and then he decided to sell her. Of course, there was no doubt in my mind- I bought her. She had issues, mild COPD, terrible feet , arthritic, couldn't really jump or school, but for me, she was absolutely perfect and I knew I'd never have a finer horse and she was worth every penny to me. She was wise, funny, kind, all I had to do was stay out of her way and let her make the decisions . We had 3.5 wonderful years together, I lost her in 2015 to EAM, ironically by that time her feet had never looked better. She was my horse of a lifetime and I will never stop missing her.
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My second horse Alex came along a couple of months after I lost Maggie, he belonged to a friend of a fellow livery. I think he may have been her husband's horse, but he sadly died. He went for loan to a young man who wanted to compete but it emerged he had hock arthritis and he was sent back and she couldn't really keep him. With Alex, I was not so sure, but it seemed worth a try and on the whole it's been good and I've learned a lot, but also have so much more to learn. My health has deteroriated in the last year or so since I've had him, and he is very different from Maggie so the deck has been stacked against us in some ways. He hasn't got a mean bone in him, but he does need a firm hand, and he wants a rider he can put his faith in, I have let him down in that regard on more than one occasion but i am trying my best
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Trust and naivety with a little bit of desperation thrown in! I'd spent quite a lot of money on a dressage schoolmaster who didn't want to do the job and invested a lot of time and money in trying to change his mind, and failed! It was suggested by people I trust that I look at a horse that was coming up for sale, he was too big, wrong breed and wrong colour and tbh wasn't in great shape but I just really liked him, there was just something really kind about him. First 6 months were great followed by a longish period of thinking he wasn't for me. Now? I just adore him and feel my initial gut reaction was right, he's a lovely kind, safe horse with some talent and feel very lucky to have him!
 
horselady said:
What do you mean it just arrived?
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A very special friend called me and said she had spotted a foal that needed a nice home. I said no, she said he was special and really needed a nice home, his future was uncertain. I have enough I said, she said he is on his way and she was confident he would be a lovely horse in the future.

He duly landed and was indeed special - make that special needs, my dearest friend was right, she always is and can spot a diamond in the rough and he has turned into a lovely horse. The journey from foal to five was unorthodox to say the very least and if you are bored, his story can be found on the thread, My Next Equine Project.
 
milliepops said:
With Kira, it was her cute curly ears :D
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I've always called them devil ears and I love any pony with them!

MotherOfChickens said:
I only buy a horse if I like its head. In the depths of January I need to like what I am looking at.
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Me too! It always goes the same way. I see an ad and cant stop thinking about it, so I go back a few times, then I ask a handful of questions and get in the car to view. If its sound, moves straight and looks like its pics, ie nice conformation and some presence then its coming home with me.

I dont mind some quirks, in fact I quite like a quirky horse on the ground at least. Riding wise I am a bit more conservative as I would like to ride again one day, but they dont have to be foot perfect.

Current boy was quirky but very smart, and I was pretty confident I could turn him around. Hes just been out to his first local show, and he went reserve champion with my non horsey OH showing him, so I'm pretty pleased. His behaviour is almost there now. Apparently he couldnt be bathed but I can bath him stood loose in the yard now. We are 5 weeks in, another 3 months or so and he will be foot perfect.

I am a sellers dream! But I also save myself tons of hassle and money so it balances itself out :lol:
 
I decided to get a new horse to do dressage on and hack , didn't really care what sort, as long as it was up to my weight and sensible. A friend found the advert of a horse at a reputable dealers I went to see him, as I liked the look of him. He was to big but I gave him a go. The first time I sat on him I felt at home. I walked, trotted and cantered, as well as went up the road. Anyone who knows how nervous I can be of new horses would have been amazed. He had the kindest eye and was so gentle when I gave him a polo. As I left he tried to keep me in sight. I knew then he was coming home.

 
MotherOfChickens said:
I only buy a horse if I like its head. In the depths of January I need to like what I am looking at.
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This! If you don't like what you see over the stable door then there's no point in looking any further.

When Gray walked onto the yard at Arlary I took one look at him and said to Pete, his owner - that's mine when he retires! He was quite simply stunning! Dappled grey, long legs and the most beautiful head on him.

He has turned from this (this was 4 years after he arrived in the yard. I don't have any from when he first arrived on photobucket)

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To this:

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Via this along the way:

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Jeff - Jeff's is a long story and not quite as simple as Gray's. I had just started in racing and had nothing to do with him as he was a 17.2hh big bouncy ball. About 6 months into the job I got sent racing with him. He fell, landed and put his foot through his chest almost severing his heart out of his body. I stood holding his big sweaty, doped up head in the vets box watching him die in front of me and just kept whispering in his ear - I will always look after you, right til the very end. Blinking back tears knowing that was only going to be another 5-10 minutes. Oh how wrong I was! 12 years later he is still tormenting me :P When he came back into work after major heart surgery (after numerous collapses and god knows how many thousands of someone elses £'s) the boss gave me the chance to ride him. The sentimental part of me thinks we connected that day at Huntingdon and he looked after me every day since. He could be a big buffoon, he could be strong, he could canter sideways with the best of them but never once did you ever feel like you were out of control or he would hurt you. 4 years of racing, 5 wins, another life threatening injury and 2 attempts at going to the sales he finally came home with me. And whilst with me he did himself 2 more hefty injuries but at 20yo he is still sound, still running rings round me and living the life of riley until the day he passes over the rainbow bridge.

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