When do you know you have your dream horse?? and your equine life so far.

[moses06]

It struck me today that I actually have my dream horse at the age of 34!! I have been riding since my teens but couldn't afford a horse until I got a job, and then I couldn't afford a very good one!! I had a cold backed arab mare on loan for a while! Then I bought a sucession of new forest ponies, in hindsight all too small and unsuitable!! Then I had my cousin's ex showjumper as a hack due to her not being able to jump again - stupidly, I tried and got very spectaculary dumped! - still had 6 lovely years of hacking with her until she started to go blind and then we had her put down at home on a sunny day, although a fab hack I couldn't take her to shows, she was a nightmare! Then along came a totally unsuitable ex racer, who was horrid to ride, nappy spooky- you name it he did it - was a rig as well, great, that went!! And we got another project - maisie moo, a little 14hh cob who had had such a rough time, she had no trust in people at all, we have come a long way, she is great at shows, loves jumping, can be a little difficult to load, but doesn't do traffic and hates hacking alone!! however - maisie will never go anywhere......she will stay with me until the end.
Then Moses came along, a hugely fat, unbroken, 5 year old welsh D. I was offered him a while back but said NO, as i didn't want to break in something that old, after maisie (she was broken at 6 and difficult) He belonged to a then friend of mine and they asked me to look after their horses while they went away, moses was in the field with a load of mares and foals and was the friendly one who used to come over for a scratch, then they said they were taking him to the sales, a couple of weeks later I bought him on a whim!! That was 3 years ago, and today I was hacking him out and the thought came to me I actually have my dream horse - ok, he's not county standard - but I don't want to show at that level, but he does everything asked of him, yet still has a cheeky side where he will buck or run off, but never in a dangerous or worrying way, he travels, and he hacks alone,

A couple of weeks after he arrived in june 2007

Don't know why but I like this pic

At dressage a couple of weeks ago

 

[Izzwizz]

Moses looks lovely and I bet your glad you took him on. My mare was nappy and spooky when I got her 4 1/2 years ago. We have worked together on her problems she came with and after near on 14 months of box rest, our bond is very much sealed. She is almost human and shes gone from 24/7 in to 24/7 out now and hacking out alone. She knows me by sight and sound and I think the world of her. Shes not been the easiest mare to deal with but I wouldnt swap her for the world. Shes 15 now and has a home for life. I also own a gelding who we bought in Feb though Ive known him for the last 4 years. I adore him too but Izzy is the special one. Shes been through a lot over the last year with the box rest etc and coped with it all in her stride.
Your photos are lovely by the way.

 

[toomanyhorses26]

I have a sensitive sometimes temperamental ex racer who although sometimes drives me to distraction has given me some of the best moments on a horse so even though not my dream horse he is pretty close

I started off with a 4 year old just broken gypsy cob(great idea) who although was lovely and would hack out for england - he was a little **** in the school ,bucked,ran off and generally went in every other direction than the one he was meant to
Then had a NFx TB who had had a pretty tough life - very headshy,uncatchable 90 % of the time - taught me a massive amount of patience but can't help thinking I missed a massive part of having a pony as a kid as I could never blooming catch her
Then had a 16.3hh ex pointer (can you see a trend for unsuitable horses starting ) who I always got on ok with but he had a very nasty streak in him which consisted of corkscrew bucks and then bolting - nice ! Only did it once with me - I clung on for dear life and when he had stopped - smacked the living daylights out of him (wouldn't ever do that now but at 15 years old and really no idea - it was last line of defence ) He did however get me jumping again and confidently and for that I will be always grateful. He is my one big regret as I only had him on loan and when his owner moved away she offered him to me for free but I couldn't afford the upkeep of him on my own so he was given to another girl but I carried onmy loan arrangement. She was the devil incarnate and I gave him up. She then sold him to a dodgy dealer and the last I managed to find out was that he went to Southall market and with the issues he had coming out of racing I can only imagine he was in a tin of petfood not long after
Then comes the point when I went a bit mad and ended up with four horses at the same time
I had a 17.3hh NF X giraffe who was my old riding instructors horse . He was the love of my life for 8 years again he was a large ,miserable ,throw his weight around sort of a horse but we worked and we got there - would lead in a lead rope not a chifney,would stand and wait for dinner not run me down to get to it. Though he would be mine till the end but my RI came back and obv as he is her horse took him back - he now is led in a chifney again,agressive around food etc . Really sad and I find it hard to look at him now as he isn't the horse that he was
Above horse went lame for a while so was given a 15hh ID x arab mare to ride - at lst a normal horse !!! She went when she ws told,stopped when she was told and was just generally an all round lovely sort - she is now with a teenager .
I then was given a 16.3hh tb from my dads boss as he was rubbish at racing and generally a bit scared of the world - still have him and although I write his for sale ad every other week - he will be with me till the end.
then the forth one was a very opinionated 11hh welshie - Gleiniant Mistletoe to give her her title Not a kids pony if ever you met one - would jump 3ft over trot poles ,lie down after 20 mins with children on her. So I was given the task of putting her on the straight and narrow - 99% she still is but there will always be the debil in her
And finally is porject pony aka Rio - came to me in March to bring on ,is an absolute sweetheart as long as you don't try to shoe him and if he was a hand bigger he would be a keeper . The most sensible 3 year old I have ever met and judging by the racing vids I have been watching tonight he was never going to make it as a racer

 

[trottingon]

He's lovely, such a kind eye too.

 

[Vicki_Krystal]

Sniff is my horse of a lifetime!

My JA pony - Red of Haynes (Krystal) was my pony of a lifetime though! When the time came for me to move into seniors it was the money i sold Krystal for that enabled me to buy Sniff - and for that i will always be greatful to her for! (not at the time though as Sniff didnt exist in my life, and i cried bucket loads when she went)

I went to see Sniff as a green 4yr old - had competed a little and i fell in love with him.
Ive had him nearly 9 years now and he is my forever horse.
In this time we have competed from British Novice upto 1.30 classes - with main ring apperances at Scope / Arena in Young riders classes ( when i was braver and younger than i am now!)

He is honest, consistant and reliable - but, not easy to ride either!
He pulls my hands to bits without gloves on, spooks like an idiot at home and is an arse to hack! lol

He has a sweet yet cheeky, likable and loveable character too!

I think i realised he was my horse of a lifetime when i lost confidence on a youngster, taking a bad fall and breaking my nose!
I became wary of all my other horses bar Sniff - who i thought nothing of jumping on a popping round a 1.20 course - whilst pooping myself about 90cms on a youngster!
I wouldnt swap him for the world!

 

[Tiffany]

Lovely story and he looks a really genuine sort

 

[ecrozier]

See I think there can be various different dream horses in different senses of the word...
I started with a totally unsuitable 5 year old recently imported and backed chestnut WB mare! She could jump the moon but I couldn't stay on her most of the time! Totally the wrong horse but I was 15 with unhorsey parents and knew no better! TBH tho she taught me an imense amount and I still have her 13 years on!
Then we bought a NFx pony as a companion - she turned out to be a laminitis nightmare but against all odds is still going strong 11 years down the line at a very lovely retirement livery in wales - became my mym's pet!
Then left uni and got J to compete as mare had started to fall apart by then (navicular, arthritis etc). He was hard work to start with but I can now safely say he is my horse of a lifetime. I adore the fact that I feel totally 100% in control at all times... he isn't anyone's ride, but we know each other inside out and i can place him within an inch of where I want him in any pace (well except gallop!). I also absolutely love jumping him and despite ovvasionally getting frustrated with him I genuinely love riding him and even just being around him! He's also taught me masses and raised my ambitions loads.
The only horse I have ever sold was a 16.2hh HW ISH mare that we bought for my husband when he got into horses. She was always his, I didn't really get on with her and the feeling was mutual TBH! She went lame, he lost interest, and we found her a great home as a broodie where she still is now.
Husband then got interested again, but this time I made sure to buy something that would suit me too! So we ended up with Roo, 16.2hh of ISH x WB. He's much bigger than my boy and also the first I have backed totally from scratch but so far thats been easier than fixing the issues my other two came with! Fingers crossed it carries on like that.
I never thought I'd find another horse I could feel even nearly as strongly about as J but tbh Roo has definately wormed his way in! I'd still part with him before J if it came to it but would do everything humanly possible to keep them both! And in terms of ambitions and dreams he's got the scope and potential to do everything I could ever dream of!