What's your favourite horse-related memory?

A few years ago I had a little endurance arab on loan. He was a funny little thing frightened of his own shadow but seemed to enjoy endurance. I decided for a laugh to take him in a novice show jumping class at a local show.we had never jumped together before. To my amazement he got a clear round and then won the jump off. Feeling cocky I entered him for the next class which was the same height and for mature riders. He jumped 2 jumps and that was it. He refused to do any more. From that day he would never jump again. Weird horse!!
 
Don't think I could narrow it down to one. Can I do one per horse?

Old boy - Summer after A-levels, just spending all summer with him, my friend and her mare. It was a really lovely summer (96) and we spent the whole summer on long hacks to the beach, forestry, a local xc course jumping everything in sight. No husbands/kids to be rushing home for and we both worked evenings in the local pub so had all day to ride. Just the perfect summer!

Arch - my one and only clear XC round on him. He is a nappy s*d so the first few fences were always difficult and was always prone to a dirty (so we thought at the time it turns out the poor thing had foot problems) stop. Even though it was just a 2'6" local hunter trial it was a major triumph for us! It was that lovely stage between us building up our confidence and his feet starting to hurt a lot and other than the first 2 fences when I had to kick for my life we flew round. I have a lovely photo of us going over the last fence. Sadly we never managed another XC course. We did some show jumping a week or so later and he went quite seriously lame after it. He's never really jumped since.

Mont - Doing our one and only 90 class. It was unaffiliated but over a BE course and was HUGE. As I was nearly throwing up in the warm-up, the girl going xc before me told me she did 100s with her other horse and she'd have been worried taking that horse around this course. Which was helpful. He flew round and totally looked after me. We had one really silly stop which was entirely my fault (screwed up my line) but still remember the feeling over the first 7 or 8 fences. Despite me being so terrified that I was a bit of a passenger, he hit every one bang on the right stride and it felt like we were flying. Sadly his jumping days are over now too but only just and he is 20 so can't complain too much.
 
My favourite horsey memory came a few years ago when we qualified for the ROR finals at Royal Windsor. My horse had been out of action for the four months prior to going and i only had him back in work for three weeks prior to going. I had recently lost my Dad and the trip to Windsor became something massively important to me. I worked the horse morning and night in nothing more than a muddy field.

When the time came for us to compete, Tiger jumped the most fabulous clear round and they were just going to bring the clears back in to do their show pieces but then the Queen arrived and apparently wanted to see all the ex racehorses so they brought every single one of us back in to do an individual show. That meant that, even in the huge arena, there wasn't much room and the one thing that I had wanted to do was to give it some in my extension and there just wasn't space. I was pretty gutted as I knew there was no chance of us getting placed.

Then by some miracle (thanks Dad) my number was called (about five times as I wasn't listening!!) and we were placed. It was amazing but as we came to do the lap of honour I hung onto Tiger round the corner so I had tonnes of room in front, then we let rip!!! I have a magic photo of Tigs in full flight with my head thrown back laughing. It was simply perfect.
 
Just seeing my Arab Shadow for the very first time, i'd never seen anything more beautiful in my life, he was dancing up the field with his neck arched and his tail up in the air, i couldn't believe it when the owners said i could have him over 3 other people, i burst into tears and sobbed all over his bum( the horse that is, not the owner! :D )
 
I make a new one every time I ride/interact my horses :) my latest has been going on a hack and not feeling an ounce of fear even after a pheasant flew out the hedge just as two cars were coming and a digger had just dumped a load of stones into a trailer. Horse did spook but not massively and we rode on with a nice relaxed rein and home on a loose rein :) a year ago that would have had me not riding again.
 
I found my love for dressage through the most incredible horse. He was kept at the yard I worked at and was in his mid twenties, having evented at a high level all his life he was a complete school master. My best memories of him are his unexpected flying changes (he was a complete show off) and his medium trot, I can still remember exactly how it felt to this day.
With amber I have so many lovely memories to pick from. My favourite would probably be when at our first show we placed pretty badly in the three novelty classes I entered, the judges asked me to come to the championship class anyway despite us not actually qualifying. Weirdly, I ended up being given the winners trophy, I was just so proud of amber for being so well behaved around the other horses and in the heat, she even let them put a spooky ribbon on her!
 
The last time I rode my horse of a lifetime.

In line with the vet's recommendation of keeping him in work, it soon became apparent that the advice wasn't exactly wise given that my horse had a neurological disorder. I had an awful ride on him one day... the one and only time it was awful and knew I had to retire him as he was feeling discomfort. I felt sad that I'd caused my horse pain/discomfort on our last ride together.

A week or two later we had one of those wonderful September evenings when it was warm and still and just so peaceful in the village. My horse looked well when I brought him home from the paddock and he was asking to go out at dusk. I got my husband to give me a leg up and I took my horse off piste and bareback over the stubble fields around my village. He absolutely loved it and I let the reins rest on his neck so he could go where he wanted at what pace he wanted and I just sat there smiling as he explored.

In my heart of hearts I knew that would be the last time I rode him and I treasure that memory.
 
Ben my welshie. ... doing a double clear in his first affordable event. He was about 20 at the time. Intro class.

Sophie the ID...her first novice clear xc..

Tia the pony.. xc schooling with my 5yo son on board..



Fiona
 
So many, but here's one I'll never forget.

Out on my favourite hack, riding my horse of a lifetime, Robbie. We were bareback, riding through the local woods. It was the summer holidays after a levels and we had all day to ride.

It was a misty morning, and as we turned down into a valley stretch, mist was laying about knee high across the track. It was about four foot wide.

Rob was a superb jumper and I twigged a couple of strides out what was happening; we sailed over the mist in one smooth leap.

For the rest of my life, I'll be able to say I rode a horse who really did jump the clouds.
 
I cannot beat jumping the clouds Snowfilly!
However, with old cob - I took him on an Intelligent Horsemanship weekend a couple of months after I bought him. When we got home I turned him out and instead of mooching off up the field he simply stood with me and didn't move. I have to say I did cry at the time as it was so special. We have had over eleven years together since then and although he is now retired he is still totally mine.

Sitting on young cob for the first time was amazing. He was backed by a fantastic local trainer who made absolutely sure that both the horse and I were ready. Young cob felt absolutely solid and safe, but forward going - EXACTLY what I needed. I feel so privileged that we had such a great start.
 
my first hors.
We were naive and totally ripped off buying him. I was so dumb buying him that i went to the worst dealer possible and the 10 year old bombproof was in fact an 18 year old nutter. After 6 weeks, a good few visits to a and e i made up my mnd to take him back. Hubby works away all week and i was due to take him back on the thursday. A bit of better lte than never research on the dealer revealed that the horse would be in for a very uncertain fate with the reality of ending his life in the abbatoir . At the last minute i decided much of the situation i was in was my own stupid fault and that the horse deserved at least one human who did nt let him down.
the next day, Friday my husband arrived home and we sat in the field with a little tiny bottle of champagne watching the horse and laughing at ourselves for being such *****.
we ve had him now for 8 years and as it turned out he is just lovely, he just needed time!
 
The day I learned I could trust my current horse with my life, even when I'm an idiot. I'd been riding her for an owner who had kept her as a solitary field ornament for years and then ended up buying her. Not my wisest decision! A lot of TLC and effort later she 'blossomed' from being unresponsive, nappy and nearly robotic, into a hot spooky mess with no brakes. I tried everything until I eventually thought ******* it and accepted that she was a nervy creature by nature, which seemed to have been hidden by a kind of horsey depression before. Understandable really.

That winter was very cold, we could get upward of two meters of snow falling overnight, and as a result everyone and his dog was out on snow scooters on every road and lane for miles. Nightmare situation with a spooky horse and nowhere 'safe' to ride. Cutting a long story very short, we were out hacking and ended up trapped and almost run over on a hill path by a family on snow scooters with their small kids in trailers behind. I had time to think 'oh god' and braced myself for what was coming, but she must have heard/felt me panicking because she never lost it and just let the snow scooters roar past. When they were gone I reached down and put my arms around her neck and told her thankyou, then rode the rest of the way home feeling very teary. When we got back to the yard I dismounted but my snow boot had frozen into the stirrup toe cage thingie (I was using long distance stirrups so that I could wear thermal boots - NEVER AGAIN!) While I was hopping on one leg trying to pull my foot free a massive ton of snow decided to slide off the barn roof and avalanche onto the ground right beside us. She freaked out and jumped forward, but when my leg pulled in the stirrup she stopped and switched to doing an on-the-spot panic dance instead. Then she went still and looked at me. I had time to wrench the entire stirrup and leather off the saddle when the farmer came running out of the building to help. Two very nasty experiences in the space of one hack and she'd looked after me both times. Any other horse and I'd have been strawberry jam with my leg hanging off.

Since then she's improved a lot, but proved time and time again that even if she can still be very sensitive and hot at times, I can count on her to use her head when it really matters.
 
My first ever loan horse was a one-eyed irish x gelding, who was predominately used for hunting. He taught me more in the 2 years I had him than I could had ever hoped for. He was an absolute sweetheart and bombproof- and him being one eyed never stopped him. we did many fun rides and we got my first ever rosette together which I still have hung up in the study. I was vastly over horsed at the time but i think it made me a better rider for it!
One day we were out hacking and this little girl came running up to us and was said 'do you know your horse only has one eye!' and I said 'oh no we must have lost it down the lane' and she went off looking for it!
 
I'm lucky to ride in different places around the world through my job, so actually my favourite horsey memories are with horses abroad rather than my own. My favourite is probably riding with rhino in South Africa this year! Then again, sometimes it's also the simple things that leave an impression on you too... I rode a fabulous Lusitano on a trail in Portugal this summer and I was dawdling along with no stirrups when the guide indicated that we would start to canter. I ended up riding a perfect walk-canter transition and enjoying the most wonderful collected canter without stirrups and it has stuck in my mind ever since. I should clarify that it was all thanks to him being the best horse in the world and making up for my lack of riding skills (I haven't got a clue, haha) - it was just a fantastic feeling and he remains my favourite horse out of more than 80 I've ridden on adventures.

This is a lovely idea for a topic and a great read. :)
 
Wimbles said:
My favourite horsey memory came a few years ago when we qualified for the ROR finals at Royal Windsor. My horse had been out of action for the four months prior to going and i only had him back in work for three weeks prior to going. I had recently lost my Dad and the trip to Windsor became something massively important to me. I worked the horse morning and night in nothing more than a muddy field.

When the time came for us to compete, Tiger jumped the most fabulous clear round and they were just going to bring the clears back in to do their show pieces but then the Queen arrived and apparently wanted to see all the ex racehorses so they brought every single one of us back in to do an individual show. That meant that, even in the huge arena, there wasn't much room and the one thing that I had wanted to do was to give it some in my extension and there just wasn't space. I was pretty gutted as I knew there was no chance of us getting placed.

Then by some miracle (thanks Dad) my number was called (about five times as I wasn't listening!!) and we were placed. It was amazing but as we came to do the lap of honour I hung onto Tiger round the corner so I had tonnes of room in front, then we let rip!!! I have a magic photo of Tigs in full flight with my head thrown back laughing. It was simply perfect.
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This story gave me goosebumps, I would love to see that photo...
 
Cobbytype said:
The last time I rode my horse of a lifetime.

In line with the vet's recommendation of keeping him in work, it soon became apparent that the advice wasn't exactly wise given that my horse had a neurological disorder. I had an awful ride on him one day... the one and only time it was awful and knew I had to retire him as he was feeling discomfort. I felt sad that I'd caused my horse pain/discomfort on our last ride together.

A week or two later we had one of those wonderful September evenings when it was warm and still and just so peaceful in the village. My horse looked well when I brought him home from the paddock and he was asking to go out at dusk. I got my husband to give me a leg up and I took my horse off piste and bareback over the stubble fields around my village. He absolutely loved it and I let the reins rest on his neck so he could go where he wanted at what pace he wanted and I just sat there smiling as he explored.

In my heart of hearts I knew that would be the last time I rode him and I treasure that memory.
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oohhh, gosh, that is just SO poignant, awwhh bless you, this brought a tear to my eye, can identify so much with that........
 
Wimbles said:
My favourite horsey memory came a few years ago when we qualified for the ROR finals at Royal Windsor. My horse had been out of action for the four months prior to going and i only had him back in work for three weeks prior to going. I had recently lost my Dad and the trip to Windsor became something massively important to me. I worked the horse morning and night in nothing more than a muddy field.

When the time came for us to compete, Tiger jumped the most fabulous clear round and they were just going to bring the clears back in to do their show pieces but then the Queen arrived and apparently wanted to see all the ex racehorses so they brought every single one of us back in to do an individual show. That meant that, even in the huge arena, there wasn't much room and the one thing that I had wanted to do was to give it some in my extension and there just wasn't space. I was pretty gutted as I knew there was no chance of us getting placed.

Then by some miracle (thanks Dad) my number was called (about five times as I wasn't listening!!) and we were placed. It was amazing but as we came to do the lap of honour I hung onto Tiger round the corner so I had tonnes of room in front, then we let rip!!! I have a magic photo of Tigs in full flight with my head thrown back laughing. It was simply perfect.
Click to expand...

This sounds lovely, would love to see the photo!
 
Cobbytype said:
The last time I rode my horse of a lifetime.

In line with the vet's recommendation of keeping him in work, it soon became apparent that the advice wasn't exactly wise given that my horse had a neurological disorder. I had an awful ride on him one day... the one and only time it was awful and knew I had to retire him as he was feeling discomfort. I felt sad that I'd caused my horse pain/discomfort on our last ride together.

A week or two later we had one of those wonderful September evenings when it was warm and still and just so peaceful in the village. My horse looked well when I brought him home from the paddock and he was asking to go out at dusk. I got my husband to give me a leg up and I took my horse off piste and bareback over the stubble fields around my village. He absolutely loved it and I let the reins rest on his neck so he could go where he wanted at what pace he wanted and I just sat there smiling as he explored.

In my heart of hearts I knew that would be the last time I rode him and I treasure that memory.
Click to expand...

That's beautiful xx
 
My favourite moments were watching my Highland pony having her one and only foal and seeing her take her first few steps I had owned mum since she was a baby and still own both now
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Some really beautiful stories here.
I think my favourite memory has to be summer a few years back. I was healthy and fit as was my pony and we hacked for miles in every direction. We went to the beach for schooling and gallop sessions, we plodded through the woods with each other for company and we spent so much time together. I also had a horsey friend come along with her pony and the ponies got on really well and we had some blasts including where I coaxed her to go over footpaths, on the beach for a gallop and if her pony got a little scared, he just tucked in behind mine so his head was almost on my knee and once past he would march up beside her again.
My faourite memory with Fidley is last Friday. I never thought I would be able to ride her and she was bought as a companion but I put her away to a professional backer when I became ill expecting them to put her back to me saying she was a lost cause. Last Friday, I had my lesson and we were walking and trotting (second lesson on her ever) over poles and doing figure of eights. She was so eager to please although we had a little hiccup when a lorry went past and we danced sideways but I managed to stay kind of calm and we carried on. I was so pleased and proud of my baby girl and had some tears driving home. (A couple months ago I had a sit on her and got off almost immediately as it felt like she was going to explode).
 
I don't think I can pick just one so I'll go for one per horse.

I woke up in the middle of the night suddenly certain that Molly was having a colt. I woke up certain of his name and oddly certain of what he would look like. Her due date came and passed. She held on and on and on. She drove me to distraction. My life wasn't exactly rosey at the time and I had so much hope. My stallion to the mother of the first stallion I ever owned, who I had lost to acute grass sickness at a young age. And to top it all this was to be her last foal.
So I'd checked her before work and not a sign. Munching away and no changes to speak of. About two hours later I get a garbled message by text. She's had a foal, palomino, don't know what. I can't get near. Followed by it's a palomino colt, 4 whites.
I nearly burst into tears right then and there at work. Not only had the foal I'd been waiting for safely arrived and all was well but somehow I'd literally got the foal I'd dreamt about. So off I go to the yard after wheedling to leave work. Open the gate to the foaling box and there's Molly stood over this just about dry scrap of palomino fluff.
Door closes and little fluff looks up, stands up and comes straight over and puts his nose in my hand. No interference from Molly at all.
 
This happened about 10 years ago with my horse of a lifetime, a grey IDX mare, Tara. I was a nervous rider and she was sharp and spooky but I adored her! A brilliant hunter and she would jump the moon if you asked her.
It was Christmas Day morning, about half past eight, and I was turning her out. There was a hard frost but beautiful sunshine too. I walked down the drive with her to her field and turned and looked at her. Her breath was coming out in clouds and the frost in the hedge beside her was twinkling like mad in the sunshine.

And as I looked at her big grey head and her big floppy ears the church bells started to ring. And that was all I could hear, and her hooves clip clopping on the drive.

I havent ridden for over four years now because of health issues, but I miss it, and her so much - and for some reason I had always dreamed of having a grey mare called Tara!

Its a very simple memory but it burns bright for me, and Ive now got a big lump in my throat - perhaps I miss it all even more than I thought I did.

All of you out there with your beautiful horses, treasure every moment, and perhaps take a second to appreciate, (although im sure you do anyway), those lovely animals who give you love and joy x
 
Lovely stories ☺
I have so many I couldn't choose, had my girl 15 years and she's amazing. One that makes me smile though is when I rode her to my house and let her loose in the garden. It had been a long ride and I thought she would enjoy the grass. I went inside to make coffee and she walked round the side of my house and creepily appeared right in front of the kitchen window. She stared at me through it the entire time I had my coffee lol
 
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