Your first horse

[sheep]

Interested to see pics / hear memories of everyone's first horse/pony.

So far I've only ever loaned, and the first one I had was this guy:



He was great fun. A big 16.2hh tb gelding, ex point to pointer, bold as anything. One particular good memory was once cantering around the school, pushed him on a bit- it took 7 laps to get stopped

He could turn his hoof to anything- he was fantastic on the roads (except the time he freaked out when we hacked past a racecourse he'd been on before!), could jump (although coloured poles were a source of amusement for him), had loads of character and if I could have him back I would- except I'm about 800 miles away now!

Oh and he was incredibly handsome- the picture doesn't show it but he had the most fantastically bright chestnut coat, and little chesnut flecks on his white markings.. ahh.. what a guy

 

[UKa]

Oh, the first pony I had was a kind of loan arrangement, he was a gorgeous grey shetland - of the lighter type - called Max. I was 9 or so, he was a cheeky sort so although small and intended for small children at the riding stables he required a bit of courage which I had back then and so I got to ride him a lot...I have a pic somewhere of me on him at my first ever show...

The first one we owned was a Fjord called Jack, he was trained to be driven as well as ridden and when it had snowed in the winter - which in those days it did regularly where I lived we took him out in front of the sledge through the woods, it was a gorgeous experience. He went blind and was put to sleep sadly within 2 years of us owning him.

 

[henryhorn]

My first horse was bought when my parents' went to London for a week, leaving me alone aged 15. My friend offered me one of the two wild Section A colts Morwyn Silverdust she'd bought, and I had a week to get the cash. £32 ! I sold my brand new tape recorder, did odd jobs, and finally ended up cleaning out and whitewashing 10 outside toilets in the yards of some shops (you can't imagine the stench as the tramps used them) until I had enough.
The colts were installed in my Dad's huge garage with a gate across and I waited with trepidation for the row.. When the campervan arrived it had the blind down behind the front seats and my Mum arms folded face like thunder in the front. My Dad had stopped all the way home and collected cut grass from the verges to feed the colts...My Mum was not amused. Of course a wild colt was a nightmare, he bit, reared, in fact did everything a colt would to a slightly nervous inexperienced girl. We castrated him after a neighbour complained the two boys were displaying their wares as he put it in public next to his garden when playing outside and he threatened to report us for indecency !
My Dad converted the chicken house into three stables in our 100 foot back garden and I was allowed to use the abandoned neighbour's gardens on both sides, making adecent paddock.
I backed the pony aged three and he went on to a lovely home in Sandiway Cheshire where he proved a perfect first pony. The sale funded my next pony a stocky Exmoor, and I kept selling until aged 21 I bought my first proper horse.
Nowadays I look out of the windows at 100 plus acres and around 40 horses (not all mine just half!) that girl who dreamed of owning just one living breathing pony made the dream come true... (Narramore Stud page on Facebook)

 

[vickyb]

Well, first pony really. I was 8. She was a 12.2 dartmoor from a riding school. She cost £50 (1963!) and I shared her with another girl. We had her a week about, which worked very well, and our parents shared the keep costs (2/6
(12.5p) a week in summer, 5/0 (25p) a week in winter - those were the days). I was always falling off, because I was so novice. She never ran off, and always waited for me to climb back on. She was a pig to catch in the field though. I loved her with all my heart, and she taught me so much - principally about how to stay on!

 

[Mince Pie]

I still have my first pony! He is a 14hh shire x welsh (?) and he's a total dude, honest as the day is long, can have kids on his back and he'll plod round but then I can take him cubbing and have a great day. Love my Olly-cob!

 

[0ldmare]

A shitland called Pauly Boy Chap who had a high opinion of himself and felt that taking direction from a small sprog was very much beneath him All was fine when I was a toddler and got led about, but he didn't like it when I got a little older and wanted him to do what I wanted Many's the time I ate dirt but I did adore him

 

[Silmarillion]

"My first horse" was a sort of loan thing - I got to ride a riding school pony on a Wednesday as if he was my own. His name was Hudson and he was a dude

My first very own pony was a nutcase Welsh Cob called Lily:

After her, I'd never touch another Welshie. She was fun at first, then she ruined my confidence! She still lives with the people we sold her to, the next but one field across from ours

 

[horseless jorge!]

This was my first boy! 5 year old Connemara cross. Lovely horse. Just needed a heck of a lot of work!

 

[Jorel]

Oh gosh, the first pony I ever got to ride regularly outside of lessons was a 12hh exmoor x dartmoor. A little bay mare called Missy. Was an absolute terror lol, used to just tank off everywhere, i was only 7 then

My first real loan was a 14hh clydesdale x dales gelding called clyde. Had hm on loan for about 2 years. I was 10 when i had him on loan and how i ever even got him to move i dont know, my legs only just came below the saddle in the whole two years I had him. Had to give him up when he started bronking and rearing with me I have a picture somewhere I'll dig it out

My first own horse (that I bought for myself) well I actually got them both at the same time, were Aiiro and Blue Only wanted Aii, but Blue is a true gem and I dont think we could part with her now.

This was at the breeders field - when I got them home all those filthy feathers were clipped off and her mane pulled short (she was in a right mess - doesnt look too bad in the pics) Will possibly grow them back over the winter

 

[marmalade76]

My first horse was bought when my parents' went to London for a week, leaving me alone aged 15. My friend offered me one of the two wild Section A colts Morwyn Silverdust she'd bought, and I had a week to get the cash. £32 ! I sold my brand new tape recorder, did odd jobs, and finally ended up cleaning out and whitewashing 10 outside toilets in the yards of some shops (you can't imagine the stench as the tramps used them) until I had enough.
The colts were installed in my Dad's huge garage with a gate across and I waited with trepidation for the row.. When the campervan arrived it had the blind down behind the front seats and my Mum arms folded face like thunder in the front. My Dad had stopped all the way home and collected cut grass from the verges to feed the colts...My Mum was not amused. Of course a wild colt was a nightmare, he bit, reared, in fact did everything a colt would to a slightly nervous inexperienced girl. We castrated him after a neighbour complained the two boys were displaying their wares as he put it in public next to his garden when playing outside and he threatened to report us for indecency !
My Dad converted the chicken house into three stables in our 100 foot back garden and I was allowed to use the abandoned neighbour's gardens on both sides, making adecent paddock.
I backed the pony aged three and he went on to a lovely home in Sandiway Cheshire where he proved a perfect first pony. The sale funded my next pony a stocky Exmoor, and I kept selling until aged 21 I bought my first proper horse.
Nowadays I look out of the windows at 100 plus acres and around 40 horses (not all mine just half!) that girl who dreamed of owning just one living breathing pony made the dream come true... (Narramore Stud page on Facebook)

Crikey, that sounds like something out of a P-T sisters' story!

This was my first pony, my mother bought her as a yearling for £40. When I was five, the farmer who's ground my mother kept her on took her in payment for what my mother owed him in keep as she couldn't afford to pay when she split up with my dad AFAIA, she was a Newfie.

After years of loaning, sharing and borrowing, this was the first I bought myself at the age of 23. He was an exceptionally good buy!

 

[henryhorn]

Fantastic pony...

 

[Irishdan]

My first pony cost my parents £190 inc tack in 1979 LOL! All of 12 hands and worth his weight in gold. Many happy memories!

 

[SarahRicoh]

My first pony i bought for £750 (4yrs ago) as an unbroken broodmare. She was 13.2hh welsh b x welsh d. Lemon and white appiano which is spots and patches with one wall eye you either loved or hated her looks.

I broke her in on my own and she went on to be the best pony ever. Competing up to 3ft3 sj but best of all i could have fun on her. I took her tack off sat on her. Leapfroged on from behind. Crawled underneath her and stood on her. I trusted her with my life il post a pic if i can ever find one on comp.

 

[Erzie]

Trying to tell you Bellinda's story will be a good exercice for me!

Bellinda was born in 1989. She had grown by her own with the other horses for 20 month. Nobody tried to touch her, to teach her anything, even to have a headcollar on.
One day, a woman came to the farm. She wanted to buy a horse, and she came to see a 10 years old mare. She was looking for a horse that was ready to ride. She didn't plan to buy a yearling.
But she didn't really liked the mare. And Bellinda came from behind to blow on her neck. It was "love at first sight" for the woman. She bought Bellinda.

But Bellinda was a bit wild. She was under sedative for the travel, and then, it tooks weeks to only touch her. After her breaking in, she was quite jumpy and could be a bit silly sometimes. But she could be very nice as well, and she had everything to become a good horse (and a very fun one I would say ).
But her owner had knee problems and she couldn't ride as much as she wanted. The problems became worse and worse and the riding, less and less. Bellinda was young and needed to go out, so her owner tried to find a rider for her.

That was the begining of two very fun years for Bellinda. She lived in her fiels, grazing and becoming enormous, and sometimes people came, climbed on her back, and she threw them away. It kept going that way until the summer of her 9th year.

I was 15 and I was in the same school of the son of Bellinda's owner. That's how I met her. As many youg rider whom the parents don't share the interest for horses, I was dreaming of my own horse, and craving to ride basicaly any horse. And when I was asked if I want to ride Bellinda, I said yes.

To be honest, the first month was a nightmare!
She was absolutely nasty. She maked me very angry agains her, and I kept coming back to ride only because I didn't want her to win over me!
Until one day when she finaly gave up and admit that, maybe, I could decide things... sometimes.

For 3 years, I rode her and became more and more attached to her. Even if I didn't realise it.
Until, one day, she was to sell.

I didn't think I could buy a horse at that moment of my life, starting my studies, with no job, no field, and my parents against it... but it was Bellinda...

It was 10 years ago and I haven't regret it a single time.

 

[sheep]

Trying to tell you Bellinda's story will be a good exercice for me!

Bellinda was born in 1989. She had grown by her own with the other horses for 20 month. Nobody tried to touch her, to teach her anything, even to have a headcollar on.
One day, a woman came to the farm. She wanted to buy a horse, and she came to see a 10 years old mare. She was looking for a horse that was ready to ride. She didn't plan to buy a yearling.
But she didn't really liked the mare. And Bellinda came from behind to blow on her neck. It was "love at first sight" for the woman. She bought Bellinda.

But Bellinda was a bit wild. She was under sedative for the travel, and then, it tooks weeks to only touch her. After her breaking in, she was quite jumpy and could be a bit silly sometimes. But she could be very nice as well, and she had everything to become a good horse (and a very fun one I would say ).
But her owner had knee problems and she couldn't ride as much as she wanted. The problems became worse and worse and the riding, less and less. Bellinda was young and needed to go out, so her owner tried to find a rider for her.

That was the begining of two very fun years for Bellinda. She lived in her fiels, grazing and becoming enormous, and sometimes people came, climbed on her back, and she threw them away. It kept going that way until the summer of her 9th year.

I was 15 and I was in the same school of the son of Bellinda's owner. That's how I met her. As many youg rider whom the parents don't share the interest for horses, I was dreaming of my own horse, and craving to ride basicaly any horse. And when I was asked if I want to ride Bellinda, I said yes.

To be honest, the first month was a nightmare!
She was absolutely nasty. She maked me very angry agains her, and I kept coming back to ride only because I didn't want her to win over me!
Until one day when she finaly gave up and admit that, maybe, I could decide things... sometimes.

For 3 years, I rode her and became more and more attached to her. Even if I didn't realise it.
Until, one day, she was to sell.

I didn't think I could buy a horse at that moment of my life, starting my studies, with no job, no field, and my parents against it... but it was Bellinda...

It was 10 years ago and I haven't regret it a single time.

Beautiful story.

 

[Elsbells]

Trying to tell you Bellinda's story will be a good exercice for me!

Bellinda was born in 1989. She had grown by her own with the other horses for 20 month. Nobody tried to touch her, to teach her anything, even to have a headcollar on.
One day, a woman came to the farm. She wanted to buy a horse, and she came to see a 10 years old mare. She was looking for a horse that was ready to ride. She didn't plan to buy a yearling.
But she didn't really liked the mare. And Bellinda came from behind to blow on her neck. It was "love at first sight" for the woman. She bought Bellinda.

But Bellinda was a bit wild. She was under sedative for the travel, and then, it tooks weeks to only touch her. After her breaking in, she was quite jumpy and could be a bit silly sometimes. But she could be very nice as well, and she had everything to become a good horse (and a very fun one I would say ).
But her owner had knee problems and she couldn't ride as much as she wanted. The problems became worse and worse and the riding, less and less. Bellinda was young and needed to go out, so her owner tried to find a rider for her.

That was the begining of two very fun years for Bellinda. She lived in her fiels, grazing and becoming enormous, and sometimes people came, climbed on her back, and she threw them away. It kept going that way until the summer of her 9th year.

I was 15 and I was in the same school of the son of Bellinda's owner. That's how I met her. As many youg rider whom the parents don't share the interest for horses, I was dreaming of my own horse, and craving to ride basicaly any horse. And when I was asked if I want to ride Bellinda, I said yes.

To be honest, the first month was a nightmare!
She was absolutely nasty. She maked me very angry agains her, and I kept coming back to ride only because I didn't want her to win over me!
Until one day when she finaly gave up and admit that, maybe, I could decide things... sometimes.

For 3 years, I rode her and became more and more attached to her. Even if I didn't realise it.
Until, one day, she was to sell.

I didn't think I could buy a horse at that moment of my life, starting my studies, with no job, no field, and my parents against it... but it was Bellinda...

It was 10 years ago and I haven't regret it a single time.

That Erzie....... is a love story with a happy ending

 

[marmalade76]

My first pony cost my parents £190 inc tack in 1979 LOL! All of 12 hands and worth his weight in gold. Many happy memories!

Loving the old pony pics! Come on folks, lets have some more!

 

[Phoebe+Sophie]

Sophie is my first pony and has taught me everything I know and I have a wonderful bond with her as when she arrived fat, dirty with muscle wastage from a very badly fitting with most of he winter with coat. I seriously trust her with my life. She has a home for life.