What makes your horse perfect for you?

[PolarSkye]

Following on from Chan's thread celebrating our horses' imperfections, what (aside from making you a full English, tacking him/herself up, etc.) makes your horse perfect for you?

For me, it's actually the mirror image of his imperfections . . . his quirky nature is what endears him to me . . . he is a natural clown and show-off and has a very high opinion of himself when on the yard . . . he is not shy about telling you what he wants, is very (and I mean VERY) vocal, is very physically affectionate to the point of almost (but not quite) being pushy, and gets quite cross if he isn't the centre of attention. In addition, although he is quite choosy about "his" people, once he decides you are "his" he is extremely sweet and affectionate to the point of behaving like a well-trained labrador (follows you everywhere, is eager to please, will do anything for praise).

He is very clever and I get an enormous amount of pleasure from watching him solve a problem and come up with his own (always) unique solution . . . even if his solution is how to evade doing what his minions are asking of him . . . I have to smile at his ingenuity.

Lastly (and this will sound rather shallow), he is just so darned beautiful (to me) . . . on a summer's day, when he's clean and sleek in his summer coat, he glows like silver and my heart just fills up. Quite simply, he is my childhood fantasy (a unicorn) personified.

Go on . . . gush about your own . . . you know you want to .

P

 

[cob&onion]

Oh go on then

Love how safe my cob is not only is she perfect for me I can trust her with the kids on board. Shes not a kick along neither, and recently discovered she has a pop in her too
She is very gentle and loving and I love her black ears!
She's just fab. Had her since she was 10 months old and proud of what I have achieved with her so far )
I could go on.........

 

[Goldenstar]

I always wanted J ,on paper he's far from ideal for me at my stage in life but I adore him.

 

[PolarSkye]

I always wanted J ,on paper he's far from ideal for me at my stage in life but I adore him.

Awwww . . . that's lovely .

P

 

[PolarSkye]

Oh go on then

Love how safe my cob is not only is she perfect for me I can trust her with the kids on board. Shes not a kick along neither, and recently discovered she has a pop in her too
She is very gentle and loving and I love her black ears!
She's just fab. Had her since she was 10 months old and proud of what I have achieved with her so far )
I could go on.........

She sounds lovely - pics? I do love a good smushy, I love my horse post .

P

 

[Shantara]

He's just the right amount of challenge without being scary or boring! He's a very affectionate horse and will stand for cuddles and kisses and will put up with my stupid antics (see below). I seriously could NOT have a horse that didn't allow me to hug it. I don't care how talented, I just couldn't. I love being around him and I loved riding him.

And I love Cookie because he's a Shetland...SHETLAND!! Anyone who's been watching my threads closely will know I have always wanted one and now I have one!!
No, I joke, but he's a little sweetheart too a very fast learner!!

 

[Circe]

my boy, Jazz is the perfect horse. Its taken a while to realise it.
polarsky, I'd say almost exactly the same as you have about your horse, he's funny, i love his personality, although i've been asked (seriously ) if hes ADD. He loves people and people that deal with him find him easy to do, which I'm proud of. he loves being the centre of attention.
Hes very intelligent, almost too clever for me,lol.
On paper, he looks like a bad choice ( lame tb, 3yr old when I bought him ), but he is so safe . Ive had confidence problems, but he's been the perfect horse to help me enjoy riding again. even at his worse ( and he can be a brat ) he isnt' nasty, and I truely believe he looks after me. Everyone that has had a ride on him, thinks hes a really fun horse.
I think hes beautiful to look at, which I know is shallow, but there you go.
Ive also found out he has a talent for jumping, which makes me feel strangly proud.
gosh, I'm gushing.
Kx

 

[Lambkins]

I love my pony because ... He is always happy ..try's so hard to please ..very trainable .. Cheeky.. He can turn his hoof to anything .. Dances to the field ( I swear he has a song playing in his head 'I'm sexy and I know it ' ) he loves to strut his stuff !! He is sensitive ..but bold .. He is powerful yet elegant ... He gently holds on to my hood and pull me towards him for a cuddle , and I feel he loves me as much as I love him .. I bought him as a 2 year old and owned him now 4 years .. And I have enjoyed every minute ..

 

[Lambkins]

The boy himself

 

[Madam Min]

I love Chloe because although she's not the easiest to ride, she makes you work, I do trust her, shes taught me so much and we have loads of fun. She has bags of character, is a total diva at times, is very very pretty (and she knows it!), I think we are a partnership!

 

[mynutmeg]

I always wanted J ,on paper he's far from ideal for me at my stage in life but I adore him.

I'm a lot like this - on paper she's way too green and inexperienced for me BUT she looks after me and doesn't take advantage, is incredibly sweet (well to me she is, grumps at everyone else). She's forward enough that she pushes me out my comfort zone and increases my confidence

 

[Tabbi]

My Gilbert is perfect for me, he has taught me more about how to ride than any other horse...... he is grumpy and hard work and will not do anything he really does not want to..... especially if he does not like you, which its good luck that he likes me! lol
At the riding school where we both worked, he was not a popular pony and everyone would say he was horrible which I could not understand as for me he was good as gold (most of the time!)
Apparently he used to kick other stable hands.... but never ever seen him do this....

To me he is just the bestest in the whole wide world, he is loving, willing (sometimes), gorgeous and he is my dream come true could not believe my luck when I was able to buy him from the school and he was officially mine x

 

[budley95]

I love mine because he's just a horse I click with. I love that he's a stubborn so and so when he wants to be but will try his heart out for me in the same breath. He's just a horse I adore and I don't think I've ever clicked with another one like him. I love that he loves his cuddles, but that sometimes he just wants to be left alone. He challenges me with my riding, but not to the point where I'm scared of him but if I'm upset or in a just generally bad mood, I love that he'll be a plod for me so I can just cheer up. He's just Bud, and to me at least, that's perfect

 

[Daytona]

Perfect to handle, never grumpy, can tie him anywhere do anything to him.

Not spooky at all, a bomb could go off and he would stand their.

Never refuses a single jump no matter what it is.

Very very honest lad and tries he heart out to please you.

 

[Tia0513]

I have only had Tia since 1st June but she is slowly & surely helping me through my grief. She is the softest horse I have ever met & has the sweetest face and kind eyes. I love that she is independant, that she loves to be groomed and will stand all day for you (in mid-motion sometimes too ), that she doesn't bat an eyelid at clippers (only tried small handheld ones) and will even let me put them on her face. She is only three and the odd times she shows her age there is always a reason behind it. I love that she seems to be an old head on young shoulders and that she is boss of the boys without even trying - it's like parting of the seas when she walks towards them lol. I love that, even though she had jumped into the adjacent field, she followed me back without needing a headcollar. She is fantastic under saddle for her age & I am really looking forward to doing more with her next year. I do have some niggles with her but they are mainly because of my faults not hers!

 

[nikicb]

I think the thing that does it for me with Cam is his total transparency. I know exactly what he is thinking virtually all the time. He also makes me laugh, literally out loud at him. He grunts and groans sometimes when we are working especially on something new or hard, but is really proud when he achieves something and knows he's been a good boy. Most of the time he's a very happy smiley chap and very very nosy - he just has to know what's going on everywhere! This is him getting out of bed this morning with a day of eating planned - oh, what an effort.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=300561063416261

 

[MileAMinute]

My pony is the first I've ever broken in and brought on myself, so he was a challenge and a half for me.
My guy is only 4, yet so honest and turns his hoof to everything.
I'm a nervous jumper yet he actually instills confidence in his rider and has a lovely, careful jump. He's so good I actually want to get back into SJing again!
He is so easy off the leg which is a lifesaver for my nerve damaged legs.
He picks things up so easily - my RI is always commenting on how well he adapts to new movements etc.
He has got an amazing personality and never fails to make me laugh or smile.
He's very good with kids, infact he's fascinated with anything smaller than him - small kids, shetlands, dogs. The look on his face is priceless.

Don't get me wrong, there has been many a time I've been sat on the arena floor crying or thinking I took too much on, but the good times outweigh the bad so much.
I've got a real bond with him, more than any other horse. I couldn't actually imagine life without him now.

 

[nix123]

My lad is perfect for me because his strengths are my weakness and visa versa. He also has the biggest forgiving heart there could ever be in a living being. Simple. :thumbup:

 

[splashnutti1]

i have only had my lad just over a year,

i love how he ALWAYS calls and canters over when he sees me arrive and how he wants to spend every minute i am there glued to my side and helping out where he can ( or at least he thinks he is helping lol bless him)

I love how no matter how nervous i am he takes care of me yet is still forward going, full of beans and sometimes a tad cheeky!

But most of all i adore the way he loves me unconditionally, never judges and is happy for me to pour out my troubles and sob on his shoulder, sometimes he even gives me a hug lol

 

[Alchemy]

My horse is just my best friend, when life keeps throwing these difficult challenges to overcome and i struggle he is always there good for a hug, lets me cry in his shoulder and we just have a great relationship (not always granted) he is the reason i get up in the morning when all i want to do is stay in bed! Just love him to bits, plus he has the kindest eye i have ever seen. He is such a gentle soul compared to my hot headedness

I could continue but i wont bore you all.

 

[*Maddy&Occhi*]

My girl was perfect from the beginning, she was exactly what I had always wanted/ dreamed of having (5 year old andalusian with bags of talent), and I was shocked when she became available to me . She's funny, has a huge personality, quirky, cheeky, very brave, sensitive, willing, bold, moves like a dream and jumps the moon! Literally does anything and everything and is extremely talented in every sphere ...she's very tricky and challenging, but I've enjoyed every single step of the way, even the hairy moments . I often count my lucky stars as I could not ask have asked for anything more perfect than her! She's not for everyone, but she's absolutely spot on for me.

 

[spotty_pony]

Where do I start?! My Appy is perfect because he has a heart of gold. He has a lovely temperament and is quirky - but I wouldn't have him any other way! He will also turn his hoof to anything and I can literally hack him anywhere on his own and in company. He is by no means an easy ride but we are so used to each other, we have great fun together.

 

[Sussexbythesea]

My WB boy is funny, cheeky, talented, handsome, cuddly and kissable and a total pleasure to have. If he were a bloke I would marry him.

 

[Asha]

To start with she's a perfect colour, chestnut, white socks and a little white star. I mean, you cant get a better looking horse can you ?

On top of that, we get on because we are so similar, both past our prime ( I wont tell her though she'd be mortified), both put weight on just looking a food. We can be a little moody when tired , and we both have 2 fantastic children.

She looks after my children ( well my son rides her now and then) , and I ride her son( well i've just started!)

We have mutual trust & respect

and finally, she's definitely the boss of the herd

 

[starryeyed]

Physically she is my absolute dream horse, I've wanted a horse like her since I was a child but never thought I'd get one! She is absolutely gorgeous. I love how much spirit she has, she is so bouncy and exuberant and everything is exciting for her - she brings the biggest smile to my face whenever I'm around her as she has such a bright personality and is always on the go. I love her attitude towards work too, she gets so excited about her tack being brought out - riding her is so much fun, she's so forward and keen, loves jumping, and taking her for a gallop is just the best feeling in the world and has brought me to tears of happiness before which is incredibly cringeworthy but very true! I also like how she has a soft spot for me - she waits for me at the bottom of the field every day, and when I come up the drive in the car after work she races up to the top with me kicking her heels up and waving her tail about. She's very chatty with me and definitely sees me as her "person" which I do love. She has really taught me how to have fun again, I loved my last horse to pieces but he was always negative and stubborn and very much an on-going project - it sounds ridiculous but I'd forgotten just how much fun horses could be and she has definitely shown me, as well as very quickly improving my stickability! I absolutely adore her, she may be a complete witch at times and be incredibly high maintenance and difficult, but she means the world to me and I wouldn't change her for anything!

 

[devonlass]

Absolutely nothing about him is perfect for me,not a single thing!!

However as I've put blood,sweat and tears into him over the years and I adore the quirky,spotty twit would seem we're stuck with each other

Oh and he is pretty and i do like something easy on the eye as shallow as that is

Ironically i have a super safe welsh cob,who on paper is far more suitable and he doesn't float my boat at all,I mostly let other people ride him as he bores me to death bless him.

 

[nich]

How do I love thee, let me count the ways...
She is clever, she is beautiful, she is my teacher, she is fun, she is different from one week to the next, she never bores me, her coat is a silver silken thing of beauty, she is sensitive yet bears me up, she is my life.

 

[Enfys]

She is small, quite pretty, has tons of go and she gaits, no posting to the trot.

 

[Pigeon]

I think these photos summarise why they are perfect, and perfect for me

 

[Spring Feather]

My main riding horse is just perfect for me. I bought him as a 3 year old and I've owned him for almost 10 years. He is perfect because he knows me so well and I know him so well. He does what I ask him to do before I've even asked him to do it. Him and I work in sync pretty much constantly. He is a cutting horse so he has been specifically bred to do a job and a huge part of that job is knowing what I see, knowing how I will react to a situation and he and I just float along and do it in harmony. (For the most part that is; on the very rare occasion he can be a bit of an eejit!)