What's your favourite horse-related memory?

My favourite memory with Billy is a simple one. The first time he let me walk up to him in the field and put a headcollar on. Whatever possessed me to acquire an unhandled 16.2 6yr old I don't know but I'm so glad I did. Watching him go from prat to superstar has been amazing. He even let me hog him while he was loose in his paddock. A year and 3 weeks he's been here and now I can't wait to bring him in and back him. That first time he put his head down and said ok mum, you can catch me will forever be in my mind.
 
From my working pupil days, there was a horse in the yard who was a real character, some days you'd be pony club kicking him, others you would be tanked around the arena and others you would just sit bucks till you hit the deck... But he could really carry himself, and went amazing on the flat when you managed to hit the right buttons on the right day.

I rode him for about a year and could never click, I'd get the timing wrong, or he'd be in a humour, I cried so many times after lessons on him.

Then one day we clicked. Whatever aligned between us we just clicked and it was like riding on air, he floated across the ground, was so so responsive to anything I asked... It was amazing!

It never happened again but it's up there in the top 5 best moments of my life! My friends from back then still use it to rate how happy I am, the question is always, was it as good as the basil day?
 
Think mine was a day out hunting when I was 13/14, so would have been the '88 or '89 season. I was out with my sister. Subs were £60 for Pony Club members and £2 cap. :) We had a late start due to frost, so moved off from the meet at about half 11. Lots of milling around the first covert for what seemed like hours, then on to the second covert at Buckshaws. a shout went up and we were off. My pony (Whiskey) never believed in exerting himself more than neccessary so jumping was usually out of the question, but this day he got the bit between his teeth and flew the jumps with everyone else. Sister was happy as she always had to fanny about trying to find a gate with me.

We ran south at a good speed for what seemed like hours. Hedge after hedge we flew, through a river and galloping on, past ravines and crags. Caught up with the hounds at another covert near the hunt kennels. Within minutes, another shout and we were off again. This time across more rolling sort of countryside, I think we'd lost half the field by this point. Was the first (and last) time I'd ever jumped wire. Came to a stop near Whalton and spent a while hanging around the next covert waiting for the rest of the field and catching our breath.

Off again, this time across proper "English" countryside. Hedges seemed to come up every 25-30 strides. Realised that there was only the Master, my sister, Ian and Ben (both similar age to us) and I out in front. Hounds ran from Whalton, to Bolam and on to Wallington. The Master's horse tripped itself before a hedge and he shouted "get on with you" to us and that was it. Four of us, all under 16 chasing after the Huntsman taking the hedges 4 abreast like we were the first 4 horses in the second back straight of the National.

Last fence was a wall into the Wallington Estate, ditch before it, ditch after it. We jumped that and caught up with the hounds by a covert. All the horses were steaming, so were we. The Master arrived about a minute after us and due to the fading light decided to call it a day. I've never felt exhilaration like that, I never had another day as good as that. It was unbeatable. I was never really happy about the whole catching foxes bit of hunting so the best bit was that despite scaring up 4 foxes none were caught.

Probably the best bit though was finding our parents, getting the ponies home, wrapping them up in jute rugs with a blanket (properly folded of course :))and making up the bran mashes. Early nights for all of us that day.
 
When I was a 7 year old I rode regularly at a local riding school. One day I went for my lesson and tied up on the yard was the brightest chestnut Welsh cob ... And he had a curly mane and tail, it is my only ever experience of love at first sight... But he was 15.1 and I was 7 so deemed too big for me ... but I'm nothing if not persistent - it took me 3 weeks to manipulate (and that is the correct term) the staff into letting me ride him... Years passed and my love for this chap grew - I literally wrote books about how I brought him to live in my garden and went on famous five style adventures with him (they were that awful). Anyhow, after years of nagging I talked my mum into a pony for my 11th birthday... We looked at a few and decided on a lovely connie mare - however when vetted she failed - I was so heart broken that my Dad (mr non horsy) paid for an extra lesson at the riding school that week to cheer me up - when I got there my chestnut Welsh cob had a big blue bow round his neck... My dad had talked the riding school into selling him... That little cob was my first love, my dream pony and my best friend for the next 10 years.. I've had/ have 'better' horses but he was and tbh still is 'the one'.
 
One horse produced all my top memories. He was the mothers horse of the family I au paired for and he was 17.2 (I'm only 5 foot) he's in my picture. I worked there in my holidays between when I was 18 and 21. I took him to pony club camp when I was 21 and got the opertunity to hack him around Wiltshire whenever I wanted. He was the most amazing animal never pulled and was the lightest horse to ride (although others said he rode like a dog) would face down any fence you pointed him at (a previous life of hunting with the Beaufort) and he was so playful and loyal. No one ever said I looked small on him and he always felt like a 11.2 games pony to ride. I have a picture of him tied up to the Lorry with his neck arched around me after a ODE. I can honestly say it is the safest and happiest I've ever felt. I will never find his equal. Tbf my time with that family are the happiest of my life. To be twenty one and galloping across Wiltshire again knowing there is a homemade chicken soup on the Aga and a cup of tea ready for when you come in. So much has changed in a short seven years but he is always in my thoughts.
 
When I was 15, I rode at Olympia. It was the first year of the NPS M & M championships. Mother had qualified my gelding while i was away at school, but I got the ride. I remember warming up in the main arena with all the other riders at the show, including Caroline Bradley riding her stallion Marius. She came rather close behind us & my gelding ( who was just 4 at the time) swung his quarters towards them as if to kick; thankfully he didn't but I always wonder what would have happened if we had injured one of the most popular riding combinations of the age.
 
Deciding to breed from my little pb welsh d mare, choosing the stallion and then waiting only to get told by my vet a few weeks before the due date, 25th June 1993, that he didn't think she was in foal even though she had been scanned at the beginning. Due date came and went, no bagging up, very disappointed but on 16th July arrived at the yard before work to find a beautiful filly foal up on her feet and suckling. Mother and foal healthy and happy. 23 years on I still have that little filly.
 
Carlosmum said:
When I was 15, I rode at Olympia. It was the first year of the NPS M & M championships. Mother had qualified my gelding while i was away at school, but I got the ride. I remember warming up in the main arena with all the other riders at the show, including Caroline Bradley riding her stallion Marius. She came rather close behind us & my gelding ( who was just 4 at the time) swung his quarters towards them as if to kick; thankfully he didn't but I always wonder what would have happened if we had injured one of the most popular riding combinations of the age.
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I was there that year as someone I knew worked for the NPS and gave me and a friend free tickets. As a horse mad 16 yr old I had a marvellous day. We also had passes for the stable area and got to watch the classes in the riders stand. The only pony I remember was a stallion that lived near my grandmother, so though I don't remember you and your gelding ,I did watch you compete. I remember getting an autograph off Caroline Bradley and one of the Smith boys.
 
Blanche said:
I was there that year as someone I knew worked for the NPS and gave me and a friend free tickets. As a horse mad 16 yr old I had a marvellous day. We also had passes for the stable area and got to watch the classes in the riders stand. The only pony I remember was a stallion that lived near my grandmother, so though I don't remember you and your gelding ,I did watch you compete. I remember getting an autograph off Caroline Bradley and one of the Smith boys.
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LOL ! When we walked around the public areas I was still wearing my jods etc, I signed several autographs! Even though I insisted I wasn't anyone interesting!
 
blitznbobs said:
When I was a 7 year old I rode regularly at a local riding school. One day I went for my lesson and tied up on the yard was the brightest chestnut Welsh cob ... And he had a curly mane and tail, it is my only ever experience of love at first sight... But he was 15.1 and I was 7 so deemed too big for me ... but I'm nothing if not persistent - it took me 3 weeks to manipulate (and that is the correct term) the staff into letting me ride him... Years passed and my love for this chap grew - I literally wrote books about how I brought him to live in my garden and went on famous five style adventures with him (they were that awful). Anyhow, after years of nagging I talked my mum into a pony for my 11th birthday... We looked at a few and decided on a lovely connie mare - however when vetted she failed - I was so heart broken that my Dad (mr non horsy) paid for an extra lesson at the riding school that week to cheer me up - when I got there my chestnut Welsh cob had a big blue bow round his neck... My dad had talked the riding school into selling him... That little cob was my first love, my dream pony and my best friend for the next 10 years.. I've had/ have 'better' horses but he was and tbh still is 'the one'.
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That story made me cry!
Have you still go him?
 
A day when I was about 7 or 8 and my mum's friend put her three ponies in our field over the summer for grazing, and gave us free access to their tack and riding them in payment for the field! It sounds stupid but I had been desperate for a pony (like obsessively so) since I was about 4 and seeing the horse box pull up was amazing😂 I told all my friends I'd got my own pony and had the best summer, and then they went back to their yard and I had to explain to everyone that they weren't mine😳
 
I have lots of lovely memories but one that sticks out is when, two years ago, I did my first ever showing class.
I took my boy to a veteran class which had some absolutely lovely horses. I picked the one I thought looked best and slotted in behind ;)
My boy was an absolute star. He only went and won it for me! I was so proud of him. The judges thought he was lovely and thought he'd do well in normal ridden classes.
Sadly not had the chance to do it again but perhaps if I do get the opportunity, I will take him to defend his title :)
Some pics on the old thread here http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?669145-Veteran-showing-success!
 
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Meeting my current horse for the first time. Broncked off the rider within seconds (this was actually do to a sore on her withers), then when we were standing around untacking her and she was desperatly trying to see what I was doing and occasionally breathed in my ear whilst I was trying to listen to the rider. I knew instantly she was the one for me.
 
Llewellyn said:
One horse produced all my top memories. He was the mothers horse of the family I au paired for and he was 17.2 (I'm only 5 foot) he's in my picture. I worked there in my holidays between when I was 18 and 21. I took him to pony club camp when I was 21 and got the opertunity to hack him around Wiltshire whenever I wanted. He was the most amazing animal never pulled and was the lightest horse to ride (although others said he rode like a dog) would face down any fence you pointed him at (a previous life of hunting with the Beaufort) and he was so playful and loyal. No one ever said I looked small on him and he always felt like a 11.2 games pony to ride. I have a picture of him tied up to the Lorry with his neck arched around me after a ODE. I can honestly say it is the safest and happiest I've ever felt. I will never find his equal. Tbf my time with that family are the happiest of my life. To be twenty one and galloping across Wiltshire again knowing there is a homemade chicken soup on the Aga and a cup of tea ready for when you come in. So much has changed in a short seven years but he is always in my thoughts.
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This made me happy and sad at the same time. I wish we could go back in time. Would love to see that picture, sounds lovely.
 
Sarah_K said:
Think mine was a day out hunting when I was 13/14, so would have been the '88 or '89 season. I was out with my sister. Subs were £60 for Pony Club members and £2 cap. :) We had a late start due to frost, so moved off from the meet at about half 11. Lots of milling around the first covert for what seemed like hours, then on to the second covert at Buckshaws. a shout went up and we were off. My pony (Whiskey) never believed in exerting himself more than neccessary so jumping was usually out of the question, but this day he got the bit between his teeth and flew the jumps with everyone else. Sister was happy as she always had to fanny about trying to find a gate with me.

We ran south at a good speed for what seemed like hours. Hedge after hedge we flew, through a river and galloping on, past ravines and crags. Caught up with the hounds at another covert near the hunt kennels. Within minutes, another shout and we were off again. This time across more rolling sort of countryside, I think we'd lost half the field by this point. Was the first (and last) time I'd ever jumped wire. Came to a stop near Whalton and spent a while hanging around the next covert waiting for the rest of the field and catching our breath.

Off again, this time across proper "English" countryside. Hedges seemed to come up every 25-30 strides. Realised that there was only the Master, my sister, Ian and Ben (both similar age to us) and I out in front. Hounds ran from Whalton, to Bolam and on to Wallington. The Master's horse tripped itself before a hedge and he shouted "get on with you" to us and that was it. Four of us, all under 16 chasing after the Huntsman taking the hedges 4 abreast like we were the first 4 horses in the second back straight of the National.

Last fence was a wall into the Wallington Estate, ditch before it, ditch after it. We jumped that and caught up with the hounds by a covert. All the horses were steaming, so were we. The Master arrived about a minute after us and due to the fading light decided to call it a day. I've never felt exhilaration like that, I never had another day as good as that. It was unbeatable. I was never really happy about the whole catching foxes bit of hunting so the best bit was that despite scaring up 4 foxes none were caught.

Probably the best bit though was finding our parents, getting the ponies home, wrapping them up in jute rugs with a blanket (properly folded of course :))and making up the bran mashes. Early nights for all of us that day.
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This sounds so fun! Thank you for sharing that :)
 
blitznbobs said:
When I was a 7 year old I rode regularly at a local riding school. One day I went for my lesson and tied up on the yard was the brightest chestnut Welsh cob ... And he had a curly mane and tail, it is my only ever experience of love at first sight... But he was 15.1 and I was 7 so deemed too big for me ... but I'm nothing if not persistent - it took me 3 weeks to manipulate (and that is the correct term) the staff into letting me ride him... Years passed and my love for this chap grew - I literally wrote books about how I brought him to live in my garden and went on famous five style adventures with him (they were that awful). Anyhow, after years of nagging I talked my mum into a pony for my 11th birthday... We looked at a few and decided on a lovely connie mare - however when vetted she failed - I was so heart broken that my Dad (mr non horsy) paid for an extra lesson at the riding school that week to cheer me up - when I got there my chestnut Welsh cob had a big blue bow round his neck... My dad had talked the riding school into selling him... That little cob was my first love, my dream pony and my best friend for the next 10 years.. I've had/ have 'better' horses but he was and tbh still is 'the one'.
Click to expand...

That's beautiful and sounds like my childhood dream! Do you have any pictures of him?
 
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