Your horsey history....

[Vickijay]

Hi,

Was thinking today that it might be interesting to read about HHO'ers horsey history. Just so you can have a idea of who your talking too.



Ill go first, if you think its interesting then add yours! Then we will know a bit more about who were talking too!!!!

Im Vicki, I got into horses when I was about 10, then had 14hh loan pony till 12, at which point was brought my own 14.2hh who was fab, he took me from jumping 2' to being on all 3 of the big area teams in PC (so jumping novice BE level)

Then moved up to produce first proper event horse and we got up to Int level BE but then he brokedown, could only do dressage and went to live in Wales with a amazing family. Meanwhile went to college and rode loads then after worked as a rider for a SJ'er.

After that I brought a 3yo TB who I took up too Novice BE but then she got to difficult for me so went back to her breeder (but ironically she boomeranged back to me when next owner tried to event her, failed and then was going to have her PTS)

Then brought another TB who did a bit with then after finding a heart murmur we just concentrated on dressage and got up to medium level.

Then brought the love of my life horse Harry who is the best horse ill ever own but also the most buggered, hes broken alot which is heartbreaking as he is amazing.

Had my first go at breeding in 2007 and got the lovely Dottie one and brought her a friend who is now on loan to a HHO'er!! Now having another go at breeding and my mare is pregnant again (well she was last week!!)

Have done quite alot of buying, selling and riding (for me, for a owner that I have and for random people who have horses they cant ride but want to sell!!)

Recently brought new project TB who is keeping me busy....


So what about you??

 

[BobbyMondeo]

I got into horses when i was about 12 where i just had lessons at a local riding centre.
After a few years i loaned a horse on the riding centre called Jenna who really got my confidence up jumping hacking ect.

Then i had share horse called Drum who i took showing and some clear round jumping, just had a great deal of fun.

He was sold so i looked around for annother riding centre to have some lessons and ended up taking on a new rescue horse they had called Ben who was UBER hairy had no manners hadnt been riden in about 10 years and also had very sweet itch. He taught me so much about the general welfare of horses and about my riding. He is now jumping and full part of the riding school and though still really cheeky if hes not kept in his place im certain he loves it

In August 2008 for my 18th birthday i got Henry(17.1hh Tbx) and Robbie(15.3hh AA) I have since loaned out henry to fabby hunting home which he loves and i have got robbie from being a scared youngster to more confident horse who could actually go place. ( but instead he goes and gets kicked and may have a fracture)

Ridden many other horses and ponies along the way and i wouldnt live my life any differently its been amazing and its certainly true that after fall there is a high.

 

[mahorse]

Ahhhh Dottie is lovely!
Started riding at 4, got first (mental) pony at 7, she was 11.1! Got another pony when nearly 10 she was 13.2 and the bestest friend ever but also nuts, sold the little'un about a year later.... my dad sent her to the sales

( So did everything with the 13.2 but put her in foal when I was 14, she was 14 too! When 13.2 was pregnant and nursing rode numerous horses for people, did camp/events etc with loaners..... 13.2 had gorgeous filly foal, we kept her, broke her and then stupidly sold her when she was nearly 7..... I got into boys... By the way the 13.2 was passed round my cousins and neices until she was pts as she had advanced cushings.....
Rode until I was about 21..... then I've had a 13 year break.. Now got a 16.2 wb mare who has been lame for the past 5 months. I've only had her 7 months.... back to vets tomorrow for more xrays.... its hearbreaking, I've finally come back into the horsey world and my horse is having problems so I know exactly what you mean! This probably isn't exactly the response you wanted but its my history! Hopefully if horsey is fixed we will be eventing, so fingers crossed.

 

[V1NN]

i'm Sarah Started riding when i was 6 begged my mum fro a horse but was never allowed 1.

i was 15 when i was offered a job at an equestrian centre i was so stupid and naive i took it, left school on my 16th birthday and became a skivvy for the next near 5 yrs.

Basically looked after 30+ horses on a day to day basis mucking out, riding, breaking and schooling, teaching lesons, you name it i did it i got my 1st horse of my own when i was 17 Bess a big cob, i'v had a few since however could never afford to keep them on my pitiful wages.

Finally left the yard xmas 2007 and now in a great job that i love and actually have money

bought my youngster Vinnie he is knabstrupper x tb and the love o my life last yr as a foal and i have never enjoyed owning a horse so much its like i didnt know how great it was because i was so depressed at the yard ,cant believe i almost gave up on horses alltogether! V will be with me always he is moving right outside my door next week and i plan to get another beastie next yr

x

 

[Enfys]

I don't remember learning to ride.
Lessons at school, then Pony Club.
Had horses/ponies since I can remember.
Hunted since I was 10.
BHSAI (in the days when you took HorseMasters) trained for II, but relocated abroad so never bothered to go back and take exams. Only took the exams for SM anyway, discovered that I loathe and detest teaching.
Never had the opportunity to work with driving horses and steered clear of dressage, but have been around quite a lot of other 'disciplines'. Hunting and racing are favourite.
Done a bit of breeding.
That's it, very normal.
Jack of some trades, Master of none.

 

[V1NN]

ps Vickijay i love looking at your posts because you have a beautiful spotty baby to i saw your vid of her she is absolutely stunning!! i seem to remember you saying she was tb x knab also?

 

[Abbeygale]

I start riding at about 5 / 6 as my sister already had her own pony. Mum & Dad got me my own pony (who was ride & drive for dad to drive as well) - and she was nightmare evil pony - who chucked me off at every oppurtunity!!!

Then I started riding my sisters pony - Minnie - and rode her for about 11 - 12 years - did everything with her - hunting, jumping, x country, dressage, showing. She was one of those old style well behaved children's ponies that was 99% trustworthy 99% of the time. The only time she was badly behaved was if you weren't riding her properly!!

The my sister and i had a few different horses and ponies that we did a bit of everything with - just a little buying and selling of a few.

After I had been to college I went up to Berks to work for a bit, and I sold my dressage horse up there. When I moved back down to Cornwall I had NO horses!! That lasted for about 6 weeks, and then I ended up with 2!!

Since then I have done some buying - re-schooling - selling. My aim is to keep any horse for as long as necessary until I know that I can put them in a good home where they will be happy. Some horses are with me for a couple of months - the mare I Have at the moment has been with me for 4 and a half years!!!

I currently have my 15.1hh welsh D x arab mare, my mares 2 yo foal, a 3yo arab & my dad's current driving pony - 13hh Ruby!

I think I might have skipped over a bit in the middle - but I'm pretty sure you dont want to be tooooo bored with my tales!!

 

[RuthnMeg]

I was born into horses! Both my parents are very horsey. My mum did her PC A test back in mid 60's and worked in a hunt yard and for Sue Benson when she evented!? My dad rode p2p and was in army teams etc..
They brought me a shaggy mis-treated shetland when I was barely 2. We also drove her in harness. I then did PC, RC having many loan ponies through the years all teaching me 'how to ride' given their quirks! Talk about learning the hard way! I've worked in a TB stud learning about breeding, gone to college and done my HND horse studies, done my stages and ptt making me a BHSAI. I have also worked in an event yard as head groom for 3 years, then had time off starting a family. I have just started back at a yard doing a few hours each morning. I got given my little horse as a birthday pressie 7 years ago and have evented her myself for 2 seasons. Now too expensive to compete, so we are just having fun doing a few local things and my daughter is now riding a 11.2hh on loan, - so iam doing alot of running!!!

 

[Katie__Connie]

I'm Katie, I first "rode" when i was 2 years old on mum's friend's shettie called Peanuts. She was a lovely cheeky girl and I rode her once a week until I was 4. I then rode other ponies this lady had including Dumbledore!! What a great name!

I started riding at a riding school when i was 5 and worked my way up through the plod ponies, the push buttons and the more tricky ponios.

I rode some crazy ones too... and got chucked off A LOT!!!

When i was 12 I got a pony on loan called Charlie Brown but my family wasn't really horsey so I didn't really do any PC or competing or anything.

We all learnt a lot from Charlie... including the fact that we knew NOTHING about buying horses!! (He was a 5 year old crazy horse.. completely unsuitable for a 12 year old but i loved him anyway

)

When i was 13 we bought Connie, a 13.2hh grey connemara. We did everything together... hunting, SJ, eventing, hunter trials, PC camp, hacking... my very special boy

He was so spooky but i got the hang of his funny ways and we did well together.

Have recently sold him as i got too big and bought my current pony... Topsy

She is a 14.2hh flea-bitten grey connemara and is an absolute superstar and a real pro at all PC stuff... she'll jump anything and is a sweetie...

So thats me

sorry for the ramble!!!

 

[Vickijay]

[ QUOTE ]
ps Vickijay i love looking at your posts because you have a beautiful spotty baby to i saw your vid of her she is absolutely stunning!! i seem to remember you saying she was tb x knab also?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes she is, little monkey!!! Is that what yours is too??

Its nice reading about other peoples pony lives!!!!

 

[tangoharvey]

I'm clare i'm 35 and started riding when about 10. I used to lead for hours and hours at my local riding stables for the odd free ride. The I had a mad chesnut mare on loan and then a bay TB mare who was really headshy. I used to think nothing of galloping so fast you could even see where you were going. I entered local show and got my share of rosettes. Then for some strange reason I bought a section A foal called Rocky, and then sold him as a 3YO when i started college. I gave horses up til 9 years ago when my neice did well in exams so I bought her 2 wild new forest ponies (!) sold one last month and the other goes this month as she is now 19 and too big. Bought myself a Clydesdale X ID mare 8 weeks ago, as in my signature, she is everything I could wish for in a horse, she hasnt got a nasty bone in her body and I will never, never sell her as shes had a tough time I think despite only being 6. However, i have lost all my bravery and now a quiet hack is all I am brave enough for - hoping to have lessons in the spring to boost my confidence.....just need to cure my slipped disc in my back first!!

 

[JoBo]

I’m Jo, I come from a horsey family, with both my Mum and Sister into horses.
I had my first pony when I was 7, called Brandy. Then had 3 more ponies up to the age of 16, Raisin, Lucky and Bob. Bob was given to _Gina_ (on here, my sis) when I was 16, as my instructor told my Mum I was too big for him, I wasn’t.

We then bough a 3 year old IDxTB called Gem (who we still have today but is on loan), but she was too much for me, so my Mum took her on, and rode her for 13 years.

So then I had a cob called Benson, but because I went off to college and lost a bit of interest, he was sold. So I had a few years away from the horses.

When I was 21 I bought my pony Ella (the first one I paid for myself), and kept her in Full Livery as was working hard. The YO told me I was too big for her (she was 14’2hh, again I wasn't) because she wanted me to buy one of her horses. I was very silly and listened. So sold her and bought Otto in 2005 and moved him to my Parent’s house, he was very misunderstood 16hh IDxTB, we just didn’t gel. Sold him as a happy hacker.

So 2006 in my infinite wisdom I decided I wanted something unbacked, so bought Bodey (the coloured in my sig), he was wild and it was a risk, however I still have him today and he is everything and more that I wanted.

Then we bought Badger the Fjord a few years back for my Mum to plod around on, as Gem had to be retired, and was just a bit much for Mum to ride as Mum got older.

There is more but obviously it would go on for ever and ever! Thanks for reading!

 

[Charmaine18]

Ooh, mine is very short compared to all yours!

I got my first riding lesson for my 6th birthday, and continued to take lessons until I was 13. Then I stopped riding because I'd completely lost my confidence (had precious little to begin with!), but I did continue to help out with other people's horses, had a go at in-hand showing and got a job on a livery yard. Then, this May, I finally plucked up the courage to get back on board! Went to a riding school, had my first little plod around on the lead rein and now, 6 months on, I'm having a brilliant time with my new loan pony doing little jumps and cantering, which I wouldn't have dreamed of doing not too long ago!

 

[ladyt25]

Hmm, well started riding aged about 4 or 5 at the riding school. We also rode the 'village pony' Monty who was a 12hh bay pony with no brakes but he knew where he was going! He taught a load of kids to ride (or to not come off!). When I was 10 we heard about a pony on loan and he came to us! He was Sunshine, a 15yo 13.2hh chestnut roan welsh C and was fantastic - he was never going to be a world beater but he did everything we could ask and we'd hack out for hours on end. I 'sub-loaned' him to a friend when i got my next pony - Spike.

Spike was the first purchase and I wanted him the first moment I saw him. A 14.2hh red and white 12 yo (before the days coloureds were all the rage) sporty number! We had some amazing times x-country and he was the fastest in a jump off. Sadly he broke down aged 19 at a small team chase and just went downhill as had to be on box rest. He died before the vet could get to him a few weeks after the injury.

Prior to his death, as he had bone spavin and was able to jump over a certain height I got a 14.2hh on loan - Flix, he had a broken nose and looked a pathetic creature really but from somewhere came this amazing jump - the higher the courses the better he jumped. I was devastated when he went back as the owner wanted far too much money for him at that time.

I replaced him with another 14.2hh I never wanted - Chancer - he was a stunning looking bright bay 8 yo, had BSJA'd done it all etc etc but I just didn't click. Still, against my gut instinct we ended up buying him but he was never reliable enough and obviously had been ruined/overjumped in the past. We decided enough was enough, the tears and upset and frustration at every event so went shopping and got Woody - (i can still see his ad in the paper), a 4yo 15.3hh, dun conn x TB. Well again, gut instinct made the decision for me and he was mine! 14 years later he's still going strong we've done a bit of everything - BSJA, BE, Dressage. I dread him going and i don't know what i will get next as I feel it's time to maybe look for another youngster. We still have chancer (after failed attempts to sell him years previously!)and he's a chilled out ponio now he isn't asked to jump and at 23 is still as full of beans as ever!

 

[Moggy in Manolos]

I am Astra and 28yrs old

I always seemed to like horses from a very young age, was always playing with my Cindy Horses!
I then started helping out with the donkeys along the promenade in Aberystwyth when I was 8yrs old, I got to ride them and even rode them in some donkey Derbys!

Age 9, my parents bought a small holding and we loaned two trekking ponies over the winter and I taught myself to ride plodding around out in our 13acres on Gretel, a grey section B/C.

The following winter 1991 we bought our first 3 horses, a Section D stallion(Prince), a section D mare(Princess) and TB mare(Gemma). We then added to this with Seren, (my horse still now) the following summer, July 1992 who we got at auction. We then bought a TB x Cob filly, a Section A(Tiny) and her daughter(Tina) who was a Section C/D cross!

We then bred quite a few foals of our own, and a stunning looking and tempered lot they were. I trained them all and backed some of them.
The last horse we purchased was from auction again, she was a Dales X mare called Molly, an absolute sweetheart, she was the most bombproof and gentle horse of all of them, a real find.

Then we had to start downsizing after some wonderful years of breeding as I was getting older and spending more time working in town(14miles away). So slowly and sadly we sold them until there were just 3 left, Seren, her daughter Wizard, and Tonto, wizards son.

My parents sold the small holding and bought another house without land, I kept the 3 of them on grass livery, but found it hard, not driving at that stage and keeping them quite a way out of town, so I sold Tonto to the YO.

I then moved Seren & Wizard into the town on a local bit of land, it was a 5minute walk from home.
I then loaned Wizard out to Aberystywyth University as a horse for the students to ride, practice and do exams and such like, while keeping Seren at the same yard myself on DIY.

I then had to sell wizard as the term ended and I could not afford the two at this livery as it was very pricey, so Wizard was sold to one of my friends and went over to the Isle of Man.

Now it is just me and Seren, 20years after it all began with the donkeys. Seren and me just do some nice hacking, hacking has always been my passion, I am not into any kind of eventing or competing(I enjoy watching it though). Though I hope one day to do a bit more in hand showing

I keep Seren at a nice yard about 15minutes from home with wonderful off road hacking and we just plod along as she is older now, 19yrs old and she has feet problems so we have to be very careful, but we are very happy.

Would love to own a small holding again one day and breed rare breeds

 

[MerryMAL]

Okay, get ready:

Sandy:
15.2 (could've be 16.2) or roundabouts chestnut thing, sat on as a child.
Fizzy:
13.2 or 14.2 ish hairy black pony, plodded on as a child
Riding School Ponies:
Bertie, Splash, Flash, Pablo........ there were SO many
Andy:
13.2 grey loan pony, my darling (in heaven now

)
Chloe:
Evil mare bought off a dealer, sent back after three days
Billy:
13.2 grey PC pony
Wizard:
12.2 piebald PC pony (all I can remember is that he was loan, had sweet itch, was sweet to ride but napped)
Zippy:
14.2 connemara pony for PC but not sane enough
Toby:
14.2 Fell/Dale PC pony
Lottie:
My lovely new girl, 15.3 Fell/Warmblood eventer!

There may be some others, and some may be in the wrong order. (BTW, the only two I ever had at once were Zippy and Toby as T was originally my sisters, - we're not filthy rich, just not very good at buying the right horse!)

 

[loz9]

so this is me....
i started ridin wen i was 8 on the basis is was only goin to be 10lessons! lol! 13yrs later!
got my first loan pony wen i was 12,who we later bought & is now retired with us.
got my dream horse at 16, a 15.2 dun tbx who i had hoped to event, but she suffered from such severe seperation anxiety that competing could never occur.
hav still kept her & she came to uni with me while i studied equine sports science. the old pony stayed at home with the nfxcob youngster that i bought to keep him company.
durin my final yr at uni ended up with all the horses with me due to a change in family circumstances, so i backed the youngster, who has shown quite an aptitude for sj.
in 2008 i put my tbx in foal to an american paint & now hav a stunning little colt, who i am hoping will develop into my little superstar!

also in 2008 i was given a 17.2 ex sj/hunt horse as the owners could no longer care for him, he was a skeleton wen he arrive & fell in the trailer on the way up to us so came off hoppin lame.i gav him 6wks to show improvement & he is stil with us now as he has made an amazin recovery & is teachin my dad to ride! its also nice for me to hav a sit on a tru schoolmaster once in a while to get away from the youngsters!
in 2009 my parents bought a house with land so we are currently renovatin an old farmhouse & yard at once (the horses hav a better bedroom than me at the mo!) & are hoping to open a small livery yard next year! since movin here we hav bought 2 new foals to keep my colt company (only meant to get 1! oops!) 1 is to make an eventer type & the other was a neglect case & i just could bare to leav her in the state she was (worm ridden, skeleton, lice, rain scald!) we also hav a 37yr old retirement livery with us!
durin my horsey life i hav dun some competing,sj, dressage, hunter trials & the odd ODE. i have also ridden at riding schools & wrked for the person who loaned me my first pony where i got to ride a wide range of horses. & a couple of yrs ago i groomed for an international event rider.
dont have a clue what i would do without the horses aside from have a lot more money! lol!

 

[black_horse]

Hi im Rachel.

I come form a very horsey family. The majority of my family breed/train/race racehorses in the Uk, Ireland and Spain. I have worked on yards since the age of 14, learning to ride aged 3 i competed at BSJA from the ages of 8-14. Bought my first pony (a anglo arab x connemara) palomino rig (found out he was a true rig about 5 months into owning him). I competed in dressage with him, qualifying for hicksted on my first time out, winning championship after championship.I bought him from a dealer in kent, but soon i was too big for him and i wanted to continue my dressage training so i sold him to a very nice home where he does australian natural horsemanship.

I bought Delicia, at the time a 3 year old barely broken hanovarian mare by Sao Paulo x Donnerscwhee (sp?). Did young horse classes with her and competed affiliated dressage. At the same time i worked for a very well known dressage rider in the area, first at a place he rented then at his own property, looking after, and riding the lovely dressage horses. Left that job. Moved Delicia on to full livery whilst i completed my university studies.

I finished uni in may, i have sincecompeted delicia in showing (very successful, qualifying for Balanced Horse Feeds championship second time out) and dressage.

We are going to be doing classical riding and side saddle soon

.

 

[freyaandrogue]

i started riding for my fourth birthday present and have never looked back!! i rode at the riding school, helping out saturday and sunday all day without fail, i joined the pony club as a centre member and took tests and badges. i was bought my first pony, a 13.1hh connemara x when i was 8. i kept him at the riding school, doing pony club and the odd loacal show with him. 3 and a half years later i had outgrown him, so he was sold on. we then bought a 14.2hh haflinger, who was probably a bit much for me at the time. he had just come over from holland and was very rude, not used to being stabled but in general was good to ride. i continued with local shows and pony club, gradually moving on to slightly bigger jumps. my mum also bout a 14.2hh connemara who we had for 1 year, but he didnt turn out what we wanted, so he was sold to a lovely family. by this time i had moved to alivery yard, when unfortunatly my pony went lame. my instructor was very kind and gave me lots of ponies to ride. i had a welsh D who i took to pony club. he improved my riding no end as he was much more talented than anything else i had ever ridden. i was also give a sec A, a sec B and a sec C to school. again, these improved my riding no end. before my pony came sound again another welsh D arrived at the yard to be sold. oddly enough, i ended up riding him one day, fell in love and competed him at our yard easter show, clearing 1.40m in the chase me charlie! i was absoloutly smitten with him. after lots of begging and pleading mum said no, he wasn't going to be mine. however on my birthday i went up to the yard to find banners all over his door, and he was mine!! in the past 2 and a half years he's taken me from jumping 75cm unaffiliated to 1m10 senior bsja and national working hunter championships! im so glad i begged and pleaded, because he is just the best thing ever!!

 

[only_me]

I went to a riding school aged 5, only to be told to come back when my legs grew

Fast forward 5 years, and my grandparents sell their farm and a new family move in, who happen to be horsey and have kids same age as me. The mum taught me to ride and I bought my first pony age 10 called frostie, totally unsuitable as a first pony as didnt like wind/jumping etc. and was wild

Then I got a pony on loan called Lenny, who is still going strong today, but i basically schooled it etc. and then it was sold to another family! Then I had a horse called Blue (5 year old) on loan, when I got on it for the first time I went 10 yards and it bucked me off! it liked to buck but he taught me to sit and have some stickablility!! He had very odd muscles though and turned out to have cancer.

Then I bought a pony called Walter when I was 13, (show name Gold Fever) he was 14.1hh - we did loads together, including falling into the water jump (both of us!) at the novice area eventing!! He was sold to England Bristol area

Then I got a pony called Dino who was 148cm when he was 5. I loved him!! he was an absolute brute but once we started to work on him he had an incredible jump, and was very very handsome so I started to do working hunters on him and we were very successful! I also made him into an eventer, and in 2005 we were eliminated at every xc we went to, but in 2006 we won every event we entered (or highly placed

) including the pony club area eventing and 2nd at the area dressage and 1st in team and we went to the pony club championships at sansaw and came 5th!

very very happy

also came very close to winning the area dengie! Also represented Northern Ireland at tetrathlon in scotland with him, muchos fun!
Sold him and with the profits bought a car

Then bought Merlin, the one I have at the moment. Bought him as a green 6 year old 16.2 ISH (75% tb) and brought him on to event as well as having fun along the way. So far have represented northern Ireland at RDS with him in the combined training class! every year from 2006 have represented Norn iron in some sort of competition

And the rest, they say, is history!

 

[MandyMoo]

hi im Mandy lol

im 17years old and have been riding since the age of 5.

i started learning in a riding school in lessons etc and we couldnt afford for me to have my own pony until i was 10. I got a 13.2hh skewbald pony called Buttons who hardly moved

but he just cantered reeeaaaaaaallllly slowly round little jumps and i got into showjumping, we did 2ft3 classes and won loads of rossettes

i had him for 4 years, but he had to go as i grew to the height of 5ft8, and was slightly too big

i then got a 14.2hh highland pony, although he wouldnt jump, we did a lot of showing together and got some lovely rosettes, BUT i really wanted to jump, so only a year of owning him he got sold to a lady to do showing with

i then got Monty, 16.3hh hannoverian x danish warmblood (by Graf Magna) at the time he was 17years old, he has previously done Foxhunter BSJA (over £500 winnings), PN eventing and hunting (masters horse and whip in horse for south notts) - a proper schoolmaster. i started out doing teeny things, and eventually started bsja

we went up to 1m10, but have come back down to 1m as he is 19 now...20 in january!

bless him. I also have a TB ex racehorse (by Kris) called Dani, who we bought when he was very green...brought him on from 65cm courses to eventually doing BN and Disc...but he ruptured a ligament and was off from Feb-Oct...he is now in full work and i hope to jump him again soon. I also have a 16.2hh British Warmblood bay called Bugsy, who we bought for me to showjump in May this year...we started out at 1m/1m05 bsja and were doing really well...but he started stopping etc so im currently doing unaff for a while to increase our confidence together.

so in 2010, i plan to retire monty from bsja

keep bsja-ing with bugsy and get dani fit and out bsja again

if you look on my link in my sig to my youtube...there are some videos of Buttons, Gordon, Monty, Dani and Bugsy

xxx

 

[Golden_Match_II]

I'm Izzy, I'm 14, and yeah..

I had my first riding lesson at 5, and have pretty much had weekly lessons ever since!

All the ponies/horses I've had are (In chronological order!):
1. Lucky, 12.2hh darling mare who I loaned for a few months. Sadly she got a bone spavin, so we had to give her back to the owners.
2. Ringo, 13.2hh, cob gelding, who was too big and strong, loaned him for a few weeks!
3. Sprout, 11.2hh, complete devil pony, but taught me everything I know. Thanks to him I can sit bucks, and know how to handle an awkward pony on the ground. He used to kick to the side when I was getting on!

Then I joined the pony club, and made best friends with DC's daughter (still am!) and then I outgrew sprout!

4. Moonie, 13.2hh, absolute love, but was only up to jumping 2ft3 maximum! I did my first PC team with her, and despite getting eliminated at the 2nd fence, they realised I'd be a good team player!
5. Pollyanna, 13hh, possibly the best thing that ever happened to me! She was the PC team manager's old pony, and I did everything with her! Got picked for all the teams 2ft6-9, and was just what I needed. She got arthritis when she was 17/18, so was sent back to her owners for some TLC, after many tears from me!
6. Percy, 13.2hh, pain in the ar*e gelding, who I was scared of for a year, but managed to get some good dressage tests and experience out of. Did BYRDs C squad, and won at Elementary with him. Still got him, but he's for sale!
7. Millie, 13.2hh, chestnut mare, THE best thing that ever happened to me, we did everything, she was the best 13.2hh pony I know, she could get 10s in dressage and go Pre-Novice XC. YAY!! She got suspensory damage, so is currently being nurtured!
8. Andy, young Connemara pony, who was meant to be a project, but did't really live up to expectations! By now he was meant to be proven at Intro!! Still plowing on with him though, and maybe sell him in the spring.
9. Miracle, a rising 4yo gift!! So now has a bump, and we want a show pony baby from her. Might turn her into a broodmare if the baby's any good. If not, then I'll break her, and sell her as a little persons pony!
10. Tam, you all know tam, I've only had her 3 months! SHe's a proper eventer, who I want to do BIGGG things with. So yes, now I'm taking about future, not history!

And that's me!

 

[OldGit]

I'm Simon aka old git, started riding aged 38 (never sat on one before) as both daughters and now ex-wife rode and didn't want to be left out. Ist horse peggy, family 15hh ex riding school, next ben (still own him but out on loan learnt to jump team chase and event on this fella, went to melton market for some feed for him and came back with 4 year old Milton who turned out to to be 18hh. Kept him for 3 years, before getting Casper, who as it turned out didn't like eventng. Broke a fair few bones on this chap before getting MG. He was a 6 year old who hadn't done a lot, certainly no eventing. Our first (half) season in 08 was hit and miss at intro 5 starts, 3 finishes and only one clear XC. This year decided to go straight to prenovice, 8 runs clear xc in 6, then into the unknown ie novice. 7 runs xc clears, 2 double clears and 1 double clear at a 1*. So fairly new to this bobbo thing but have already had supreme luck to own 2 "one in a million"!!!

 

[tabithakat64]

Started ridng at a riding school aged nine, two years later I started riding a local girls ponies at the weekends.

Aged 13 I started working two evenings a week for a veterinary practice and also on a Sunday for the local riding school who did a bit of dealing as well.
I shared a pony there (Kia-ora) until I was 18 when she was put in foal (I was gutted) as she was my world and we had both improved as she was very nervous and I had never done anything other than hack.

I then got Lady and helped out at the rescue sanctury she was from for a while with the 'problem' ponies and youngsters. We competed at low level dressage and show jumping but mostly hacked and worked through her many issues.

I spent a summer working at a polo yard and also started a job service on my livery yard and worked as groom for a local lady that competed in dressage and showing at quite a high level whilst I worked my way through Uni.

Four years ago I decided I wanted another horse and brought Fudge who was lovely to hack but had never been schooled, I've had some real confidence issues after a nasty accident out hacking.

Recently we've done some showing and dressage and I've been riding some others peoples horses as Fudge has been off work lame.

 

[Kat]

Hi,

My parents aren't at all horsey, unluckily for them their nextdoor neighbour was. And she had a small black shetland and nobody to ride it.

I started riding on this shetland at 2, and rode him on the lead rein until I was about six when I started having "proper lessons" at a riding school.

I continued with lessons religiously every week from then on.

At 7 or 8 I did my pony club D test, but back then there wasn't much scope for doing pony club without your own pony so I didn't carry on.

I started to help out at the rididng school gaining experience and getting extra rides. I did my BHS progressive tests at this time too. The riding school was the old fashioned type, where they expected you to be able to ride bareback and jump without reins or stirrups and so on. They also had some pretty "interesting" ponies, not just the riding school type. I learned lots but they didn't push us in lessons technically and I don't think I really progressed much in my teens.

While I was doing my A-levels and degree I didn't really have the time or money to ride regularly, and our uni had to close their riding club as they couldn't find a suitable riding school. So all I really did was hack out occasionally in the holidays when I could afford to.

Then while I was doing my post grad I got a part time bar job where the manageress was horsey. She got an ex-racer mare and let me help out with her, riding and doing stable chores. It was great to ride regularly again and I loved being able to hack alone. I had to stop doing this when i got a full time job as I didn't have time.

Just after this my sister and I booked a riding holiday, we both needed to get riding fit and I was missing my riding so we found a new riding school (the old one had closed) and started weekly lessons.

We had a fab time riding in spain on holiday and I enjoyed lessons again and continued riding every week after the holiday. My riding progressed much faster at this new school where the focus was much more technical and competative and i realised how much time I wasted as a teenager.

Not long after this I started riding a section D gelding for one of the liveries at the riding school as the owner was doing her a-levels and short of time. I was able to ride more than once a week and was also able to hack out. This continued for just over six months. I asked if they would consider loan with a view to buy when they decided to sell him but they wouldn't and just as I was considering buying him they changed their mind completely, decided to keep him and moved him to a different yard. I was gutted.

I was seriously thinking about buying my own at this stage but two things put this on hold, meeting a fantastic new man, who started to take up my time, and then loosing my job and having to take one further afield.

Since then I have ridden occasionally for other people but have mainly just been having lessons (more than one a week now, I'm like an addict - one "hit" a week is no longer enough!) I've also married that fab new man that I met in a riding lesson.

Most exciting of all though is that in the last month my husband and I have decided to buy our first horse together!

We haven't found one yet but we can't wait to have our own and get out of the riding school. It has taught us a lot but we are desparate to have the independance of our own horse to bring on and compete.

I'm also planning to do my stages, I've been lent the book by someone on here and I can't believe I didn't do it earlier! I doubt I'll give up my job for a horsey one, but I can dream!!

Sorry that was long, but that is my entire horsey history!!! Phew!

 

[Hippona]

I'm Jayne aka poppymoo...aged 39+1

.....

Always always loved horses form being a baby......started going to local RS aged about 7 or 8. Begged for a pony...couldn't afford it...so it was RS/work for rides and share ponies all the way until my late teens.

Moved away to train as a nurse....had a horse for share for its pregnant owner for a while. Moved back home...no horses for about 9 years...did the career/marriage/kids thing......

Then one year son ( then aged about 6) asked for riding lessons.......he had a few, I had a few ....OH said you may as well buy your own....so I did.

Daughter + OH learned to ride.....

Various combinations of horses.....we now have 3...all on DIY livery at a local farm.
My horse Desi...grey PBA. Storm....OH's irish cob mare and Toby- daughters highland. Son did have a welsh A git of a mare but he hit the deck a few times, lost interest and we sold the pony on. Daughter is a natural- been riding since age 2, she's now 7.....had a shettie which she grew out of and now lives with a PC family in wales.

We do hacking, local shows in-hand and ridden and generally just have fun.

 

[bubbaloonie]

Hi I'm Sarah. I'm22.

I started riding at a local riding school aged 9 or 10. Had lessons for a few months until the farm I lived next to became a livery yard and the new owner, a BHSAI, started to teach me on one of the liveries. The pony was a 14hh WelshX called Midnight. I went on to start sharing Midnight a few days a week and then we bought her in October 98. We still have her. She has never been the easiest pony but she made be confident and assertive in my riding and nowadays I'm the only person she behaves for!

After a couple of years Midnight came down with Laminitis and whilst she was off work I started to ride an Andalucian mare called Dida. Again, another tricky one but I learnt a lot in the year that I shared her, which was cut short after she damaged her neck in a XC accident.

When I was 14 my parents decided I needed my own horse in order to progress so we bought Lady. She was a 16hh 3/4 TB 1/4 ID. She was a really stunning grey but didn't turn out to be quite the straightforward horse we had expected. We focused on dressage but never quite got to the heights I had hoped for! My mum and sharer took her on when I went to university but she had tendon & ligament damage and bone spavins so she was PTS last year

So then we got Mitch, a 5 year old Welsh Section D. He has turned out to be a fantastic horse who I feel is really talented and am having a great time competing in dressage and SJ. I hope to do a few ODEs next year.

That's me!

 

[Vickijay]

I think I know you all alot better now, kinda!!!!

Good reading I think!

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