Who's your "Horse Of A Lifetime"

[Anastasia]

As the end of the year approaches and we look to the future, I also like to reflect on times been.....................

I am sure that each member has a horse who they have/had and class as their "Horse Of A Lifetime"...............

So who is your "Horse of A Lifetime" and why were they/are they so special to you....???

Mine was our beautiful stallion "Royal Geneve". He put our stud on the map. We picked him as a yearling out of a heard of 100 yearling colts in Holland. He went on to pass two Stallion gradings with high marks, gave us some fantastic youngstock and put us on the map as a studfarm.

He had the most beautiful head, gentle character and we loved him with our heart and soul. We tragically lost him in January 2006 at the tender age of 8 after colic surgery, and next to losing my step-dad in a car accident that has to be the second worst day in my life to date.

We have gone from strength to strength as breeding goes and we believe it is all down to having him in our life..................his youngest stock will be out competing very soon and we are thankful that we still have some frozen semen by him to continue on with his line.

We still miss him terribly and are thankfull that we had him, even for just a short period of time. He was the turning point for us as breeders and is definately our "Horse Of A Lifetime".

My apologies for the size of the pictures below.........

ROYAL GENEVE.....................OUR HORSE OF A LIFETIME.........

Very much missed but certainly not forgotten.......

Am sure another forum member wont mind me posting the pic of her riding Geneve...

 

[ChowChow]

Very handsome horse !

I'm hoping my yearling will be my horse of a lifetime, although he is not a superstar in the making he is a very special person to me and I'm looking forward to having lots of fun with him over the years.

 

[Fahrenheit]

What a lovely thread.................he was truely stunning Anastasia! ((((((((BIG HUGS))))))))))

I am a very lucky person, as I have had more than one horse of a lifetime..... I can't choose so I am not going to, they are Romeo, Ousbek and Ferdi, all for very different reasons!

Romeo 1979 to 2007

Its not often that someone like me gets the chance to own a horse that achieved so much in his life as this horse, he was truely very special and is dearly missed but he shall always be remembered (and he left me with some stunning babies too).
Romeo in his prime!

18th March 2007 the day before he was pts.

Ousbek 1990 to 2007

A truely amazing and talented pony, that gave me the strength to carry on after losing my precious pony and such a happy happy horse that was always a joy to be around. Tragically taken from me 3 weeks after losing Romeo when he was kicked and had his leg broken at the yard of the people that were riding him.

and

Fernando 1984 to 2001

The bestest ponio you could ever own (even if you did feel like you had been sat on a washing machine in spin cycle after you got off of him!)

I still have other horses of a lifetime including Bart and Helios.......I have been truely blessed!

 

[Bananaman]

So sad for your untimely loss, he was a lovely looking boy and by all accounts a lovely 'person' too.

My own 'Horse of a Lifetime' would have to be Torrent.

He was loaned to me when I was looking for a horse to make the jump from unafilliated dressage to afilliated.
An 8 year old gelding by Catherston Dambuster (Dutch Courage), he had hunted, done a little Riding Club and been tried at eventing but apparantly wasn't brave enough for the x country section. His owner had two young daughters madly into Pony Club and just didn't have the time to do Torrent justice.
Our first season was magical, almost unbeaten, winning many Championships culminating in the Prelim and Rest. Novice BD Nat Champs.

He was unbeaten at Regionals from Prelim to Res. Medium and taught me so much as we learnt together. He reached PSG before wear and tear to his impar ligament sadly forced retirement from further work at such a level.
He was a gentle giant.......nearly 17h to my 5' 1", but was a lovely boy to have about the place. Since his retirement he has been a wonderful nanny to Bunty, including being her weaning buddy.

It was like an and of an era last month when I finally returned T to his owner after nine very happy and successful years. I will always be so grateful to her and to T for giving me the chance to ride such a wonderful horse.

 

[DAHH]

My horse of a lifetime is more to do with how she hepled me as opposed to how good a horse she is.
I fell ill about 8 years ago and was having a really bad time of it. My Mum decided I needed a distraction so brought me a horse. (Just to set the picture, I was 27 at the time and from an early age had always wanted but never had a horse of my own) The horse she brought me was a 10 year old Grade A mare called Chipie who was jumping up to 1.45m tracks in France. ( My Mum does nothing by half

)
Anyway Chipie gave me something else to think about and some responsibility. I knew I had to get up in the mornings to look after her. I would ride her on good days. Whilst on bad days I would groom her or just sit in the field or stable with her. She soon became my sounding block. I told her everything. Being a typical English male I would never cry in front of a human but with her I felt I could do anything. I never failed to be amazed at how she could pick up on how I was feeling. She knew if my pain was bad and would be so gentle with me.
Chipie helped me so much during a most difficult time. She gave me a reason to fight and I am sure that she saved my life. For that she will forever be my horse of a lifetime.

 

[BroadfordQueen]

My horse (well, pony) of a lifetime was my second pony, a little 13hh grey gelding. High- Q was 21 when we took him on (we where given him), and still full of life. He took me from lead-rein to jumping 3ft and competing at 2"6ft ODEs. He put up with my awful riding and we did area eventing, everyone else in the team were 16 year olds on 16hh horses, but there was me, 8 years old on a little pony. We where the only double clear in my team and ended up 6th individually

He taught me everything, gave me the confidence to compete, but we sadly had to say goodbye to him 2 years later, when he had to be PTS. An extreamely sad evening for everyone- i remember clearly the night mum told me he had to be PTS- we sat up all night crying together.

Truely a once in a lifetime pony

 

[Tinkerbee]

The pony i had on loan from my aunt, when i was 10-13

Sea Breeze

Sea-b, 13.2 hh Connemara (X?) fleabitten grey

She was brill. Complete allrounder, took her hunting, ODE's, showing, dressage (got bored of that...

) and you could put anyone on her and she would behave according to their ability.

She did have a good buck at times

and manys a time I was dumped, out hunting, at shows, preferably in front of people.

She was an angel

never bit, or kicked, was so gentle with kiddies

was gutted when we had to sell her

 

[SummerStorm]

What lovely post

My horse of a lifetime is Silver - he's taken me quite literally from poles on the ground to 4' chase-me-charlie uprights and 3'3" x 4' cross country fences. Not only that but he's taught me so much about myself too - how that no matter how bad things get, there's always a way back up again, that almost anything is possible and that stubborness and sheer dogged determination can make all the difference in the world

 

[kerrylou123]

my horse of a lifetime, is one of my current horses, Bobby.
He might not be much to everybody else, but to me, he's special and a real one in a million. Before owning Bobby, i pretty much quivered at the thought of jumping anything over 2'6, now, im happily jumping 3'6 (and registering BSJA in the next few days)! He's done so much for my confidence, and has taught me alot!
This horses owes me nothing, and has a home for life!

 

[kerrylou123]

and not forgetting Oliver! The 12.2 given to me after my first pony was PTS..... he taught me how to ride, and how to stay on and ride a good buck! lol
He broke peoples arms, and made few people quit riding..... he just taught me to NEVER give up!
Oliver too has a home for life

 

[Emsibuddy]

My pony of a lifetime is Trinity.
I've never had a horse of my own, and have been riding at a RS for five years now. Before trinity I was riding a little bugger of a pony, who was fun to ride and i loved him to pieces, but he wasn't very good for my riding.
Shes taken me from being scared of jumping a raised trotting pole to asking my instructor to raise the jumps just for me in my lesson. Before Trinity I would only trot on hacks, now I'm confident in having a good gallop along the beach. Shes improved my riding 100%. Because of her I'm no longer riding in the lowest group, but the highest.
She also won me a fair few rossettes, being a ex BSJA pony!

Sadly all good things come to a end, and now I've outgrown her. I miss Trinity a lot, and atm its really hard for me to see a young girl fussing over her instead of me, but I know its the right thing.

 

[grandmaweloveyou]

i have previously loaned a few horses myself and been lucky enough to have some gorgeous horses owned by my grandparents but there are 2 i think i can call my horse of a lifetime. elitemareslol very own tbxnf, i was very depressed when i started to share her and she was wonderful, lively and spritely but you couldnt class her as bombproof. however after my major operation she transformed, just for a few weeks into the most cautious careful little pony looking after me, checking on me especially when i asked for our first canter having got back on board, she felt like she was floating and i felt she really knew something was wrong and didnt take the mick. secondly, some while after this said op, i decided to look for my own, as i was ready for this step being physically and mentally well afer such a long time and my boy came along and he is young but so so willing to please mummy and together we are learning so much. i am very lucky.

 

[malibu211211]

What a lovely post

My 'horse of a lifetime' would be Donnegan (the bay in my sig) I have had him 2 1/2 years and have now semi retired him due to arthritis

He has so much character (too much sometimes) and although we have not done anything spectacular he has taught me so much (mainly how to fall off

and how to avoid being headbutted across the yard at 6am

) and I hope I can repay him by giving him an enjoyable time for the rest of his days as he deserves it

I am going to be greedy though and hope for another 'horse of a lifetime' which will be in the shape of Monty

 

[paintsplat05]

Star. My first pony-he put up with my riding and taught me everything. He was such a difficult sod: bucking, running out at jumps and it often took me several hours to catch him but he taught me to stick with a horse even though i often felt like giving up. I had so much confidence on him i would jump anything.

 

[htobago]

I'm loving this thread - what great stories!

I've only ever had 2 horses, and it's hard to choose between them. But I think my Horse of a Lifetime will be H Tobago, my 3yo Arab stallion. I fell in love with him the moment I saw him - he literally took my breath away! Slight snag was that he wasn't for sale, but I shamelessly begged and pleaded and gave his owners no peace until they agreed to let me buy him.

I had just spent 13 years in horseless years in mourning for my first Arab stallion, General Lee Gold, so getting another horse was a big step for me. GLG, bought unbroken as a 4yo, went on despite my inexperience to become the first Arab to compete in affiliated eventing - also did affiliated dressage, SJ, Hunter Trials, you name it! A wonderfully tough, brave little horse.

Tobago was another case of sheer 'beginner's luck' for me. He was already an international (in-hand) champion when I bought him, so I can't claim credit for 'discovering' him or anything - but in his first season at stud, rather to my surprise, he became the most popular first-season Arab stally in the country!

More importantly, he and I have become great friends. I never thought I could love another horse after GLG died, but Tobago is so sweet and affectionate and playful and funny - one just can't help loving him. He has such a huge personality, so much sheer vitality and energy, and such an inordinately high opinion of himself - you just have to smile and be charmed.

He is my dream-horse and I still can't quite believe he is really mine. Imagine this magical creature looking over your stable door...

 

[rara007]

I am pretty sure it will be Pip

We got him as a pair with Ginga, he was not broken to ride, or drive as a single, but yet one year later he is longlisted for the junior world championships as a single, with a driver who has been driving just under 2 years, and come in the top 3rd of all his affiliated novice dressage. He also happily clears 2'9" XC jumps. He has taught me so much. Before him I had a 'jumping' pony yet never jumped him as high as I have Pippy, never been so confident XC, and never go so many 9's in dressage. He was a mistake, his dad was a little welsh colt, who escaped and got in with a HackneyXTB. He has taught me sharp ponies can be great, and you don't need to be scared, and he was the first pony I broke in with no help. He may not be the easiest, his great talent is falling in or out through the shoulder, but what ever you are doing he give 100%, and he has never spooked, his acceleration is awesome and his edurance unending.
First singles

First show

First ride

En-route for best marathon time in East Anglia this season, beating horses and multiples

PLaying at home

National novice junior chamion

First Jump

Cantering

Doing his favorite thing

Dressage

Round a barrel

Turning around where the 10 time national champions said was impossable

Schooling

Going for home

sorry for so many pic, i have so many, and his is only 8.

 

[Ravenwood]

Reading all these posts has actually made my eyes water! Our once in a lifetime was my kids first pony Rocky. Not only did he look stunning but had the most amazing kindly temperament. At the age of three my daughter could go and catch him because he would put his nose in the headcollar and help her put it on. He would stand to be groomed and cuddled all day. If a little tiny tot was riding him he would plod along, adjusting himself to keep them upright, but if my son took him hunting he was off with a buck for good measure. He had the most amazing jump and the previous owners had done exceptionally well on him, my son was just getting the stage where he could start competing and really use Rocky's full potential when he very tragically died of poisoning at Pony Club camp. The whole family was gutted, my son took months and months to get over his death and hasn't really ridden since. Rocky was one in a million.

 

[volatis]

Strangely enough, given the number of horses I have had, my horse of a lifetime wasn't with me that long.
I have always adored the Champion Hanoverian stallion Weltmeyer and whilst on a trip to Germany I went to see a 3yo gelding for sale by him. He was being ridden in a clearing ina woodland that was used as a schooling ground and I fell in love the instance I saw him. He was beautiful, elegant and looked more like a show hack than a Hanoverian. I didnt need to sit on him to know he was mine, but I did pop on for a few minutes, and despite the fact he was green as grass, he came home with us.
Wendal, known as Welly, was so bloody talented, his scope for collected work was immense but he was also a fun horse, he hacked out, he jumped, he could have shown. When one of my broodmares died he adopted her week old foal and the pair of them lived out with the broodmare band as 'parent' and son. Sadly as a gelding I couldn't justify keeping him in a breeding herd and he was sold, and I still cry when I think about him leaving and I havent been able to bring myself to go and see him, even though he is 30 minutes away. I just adored him.

 

[_jetset_]

This is such an interesting thread to read...

I have only ever owned three horses, and still have all three in the shape of Hannah, Troy and Grace. I always wanted one when I was younger, but when I was 18 and was still asking for one every christmas and birthday my Dad finally admitted that it was not something I was going to grow out of, and we started the search. I had not ridden for three years at this point, but as soon as I sat on Hannah I just knew she was the one, and has been ever since.

Hannah has taught me so much, has taken me to Elementary unaffil (and hopefully to medium affiliated now she is back in work), and produced an absolutely stunning foal who I hope I will be able to achieve all my dream with.

Grace came to me for 12 months on loan, but after three months it soon became clear that selling her at the end for her owner was going to break my heart. On my 24th birthday in March, my Dad handed me an envelope with some pictures, a passport and the cheque he had sent to her owner and bought her for me! Grace is quickly becoming my horse of a lifetime as she has so much potential and has already achieved my first dream, qualifying for the Petplan Area Final 2008 in Prelim and Novice!

So although I don't have enough experience of horses to have one of a lifetime just yet, they have all changed my life in their own ways, and we have a lot more time together yet!

 

[SirenaXVI]

What a fab post!

My first horse of a lifetime is Minty aka Dornay Araminta, my now 30yo Anglo Arab mare, she taught me so much and owes me absolutely nothing! She is the light grey in the picture below

My second horse is Ellie (Ashridge Eleganta), Minty's first foal, again, she taught me so much and I will always regret selling her, there is not a week goes by when I do not think of her

And finally Sirena (despite the fact she buried me last Monday!), the one who taught me to whisper

Yearling

4 yo

5yo

8yo

 

[machannah]

My horse of a lifetime has to be my mare Doubtful, she came to me as a pure accident and it turned out to be a partnership of 10yrs and is still going strong!

If anyone said at the age of 15 I would take on a 2nd horse as a favour, and it was a 4yr old 15h chestnut mare I would have laughed! Due to her owners pregnancy I started riding her to keep her going, I was forced in to taking her to hunter trials I didnt want to go to, show jumping in the evenings which I thought was a waste of time, and if i could face it the odd dressage test. She was spooky, stroppy and looked like a rolly polly pony who at one time I thought may have to wear a crupper as her saddle wouldnt stay off her neck. As the relationship with my current horse at the time fell apart, I stood in the tack room with my instructor crying at the thought of having to sell a stunning horse I loved (but deep down I knew wasnt right) and buy "that" chestnut mare!

However, I did, and after hard work, perseverance, falling off, putting up with her continuous spooking for no reason, and also being told she would never amount to any more that a pony club horse, she turned a corner and became unstoppable. As a 6yr old we were on the pony club area teams for eventing and show jumping, she won the area riding club dressage, qualified for the nationals in both dressage and show jumping and took me round my first BE events. By the time i was 17 I won best under 21 rider at Gatcombe horse trials and had the biggest smile on my face as I collected my prize!

Whilst at Uni a close friend continued to event her, she qualified for the National Novice finals at Thirlestene, completed a season with no rails in the show jumping, jumped her first Int in July and went to Blair 1* in the August where she was 12th. The following F&M yr meant she hardly competed, however won her first novice of the season, jumped round more Int tracks, jumped the first CIC** at Lulworth and went to Windsor 2* where someone asked if she was one of the pony club horses helping out! Sadly she never competed at a level higher due to injury, I would have loved her to have jumped round a true Adv track to prove herself as one of the most talented little horses on the circuit at that time, however all things happen for a reason and at the age of 15 she produced her first foal, who was res champ on his 2nd outing, and is now growing in to a stunning horse with his mothers most amazing eyes

And as she nears her 17th birthday, she is now 5 months in foal to Mill Law, and next May I hope she produces another stunner with all the talent she possesses

Never to be sold (which is ironic given the start) she will live a long and happy life with me till her final days

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1546015&l=79ebd&id=700855001

(Sorry, I seem to have rambled on a bit!!)