Your ideal horse? And what's the reality?

[Orca]

I'm not a fan of coloured horses, not because I am snobby about them but because unless they are nicely marked they don't always look as if they have good conformation, even when they do. White legs/pink skin are also a bit of a pain to keep clean and mud fever free. However, Mr B is coloured and I love him, he's a real head turner!

Now those may be reasonable concerns but I was raised amid out and out "Not on this yard!" super snobby snobbery of the nose wrinkling, lip curling sneer variety. Coloured horses were not serious horses, you see ��

(... admittedly, Orca is part clown but I like that!)

 

[dibbin]

I wanted a solidly built 15.2hh of at least 8 who'd been there and done that. I bought a 16.1hh 6 year old who looks like a TB and was as green as the grass.

I love him dearly as he's genuinely lovely to have around, but I'd probably have done more by now if I'd stuck to what I was actually looking for ...

 

[huskydamage]

I've always wanted an arab but never had one!
Some people think my little 14hh chestnut nf x has arab in her though, so perhaps I might be halfway there! (Though I think she is probably nf x tb.... but I can dream )

She is my ideal horse just wish she was a hand or 2 bigger and I could give her a dip in the fountain of youth and wind back a few years!

 

[ihatework]

I wanted a mare, 16.2ish, to give me ring experience at a higher level of dressage.
Needed to be forwards thinking and intelligent, easy to do, fun to ride but not dangerous. Worthy of breeding from.

I got exactly what I wanted.

 

[Wagtail]

I have my ideal. A 15hh WB dark buckskin mare with lots of personality and talent. Unfortunately I am not her ideal as am much too tall and lanky for her and past my prime. Oh well...

 

[fattylumpkin]

What I was looking for: a healthy, tough, cobby horse of the go anywhere, do anything type.

What I ended up with: a healthy, tough, native horse of the go anywhere, do most things, try anything type, who is soft as claggy toffee and a complete cuddle bug.


I'll skip over the two years it took to transform my hippo into the ideal horse, but we got there!!! If anyone had asked me one year ago I'd have said you can't win them all and I'd just have to live with my horse the way she was, but some fairy must've waved a magic wand between then and now. She's not perfect and still has no brakes in the school ring, but I love her anyway and we'll fix it.. in another three years

 

[Wagtail]

What I was looking for: a healthy, tough, cobby horse of the go anywhere, do anything type.

What I ended up with: a healthy, tough, native horse of the go anywhere, do most things, try anything type, who is soft as claggy toffee and a complete cuddle bug.


I'll skip over the two years it took to transform my hippo into the ideal horse, but we got there!!! If anyone had asked me one year ago I'd have said you can't win them all and I'd just have to live with my horse the way she was, but some fairy must've waved a magic wand between then and now. She's not perfect and still has no brakes in the school ring, but I love her anyway and we'll fix it.. in another three years

Sounds lovely. I love a cuddly horse. My late mare was like that.

 

[LHIS]

I wanted something medium weight, feathered legs, pretty mane and tail, and a beard. Solid coloured (pref black or palomino), mare or gelding, native type probably with a cuddly personality and safe but forward going, between 14.2 and 15.1hh. I did not want a coloured horse as I historically didn't like them (and have never met one I got on with - thought they are all nuts).

I got a 14hh Welsh X cob piebald gelding, green as grass, but cuddly and loving, also cheeky and a bit naughty at times. Has a beard. Is forward going and will be safe eventually once he's seen a bit more.

 

[Luci07]

I wanted a quality but rideable gelding, at least 6 with some eventing under his belt and little in the way of quirks. Nothing sharp. A nice horse was an added bonus. I got what I wanted and have the most gentlemanly horse on the yard who makes me remember why I love horses and riding. He has also shown me that I have wasted far too much time trying to click with the wrong horse..bit like my love life really!

 

[nfpony]

I am quite tall at 5'7, went out looking for a full up 14.2hh 10-12 year old school master, ended up with a 13.3hh, 7 year old nf pony who hadn't done much for a year as he was too lazy for the little girl who owned him. We bought him not knowing what he was actually capable of, with a plan of selling him on a year later, but i fell in love. We discovered an old owner who had him from 2 to 6 years old, and she has 100s of pictures of him on her Facebook from when he was first backed until the day she sold him. We bought him with the thought that he was a bit of a plod, but found out that he had competed novice dressage and was working towards elementary, jumping 1m classes out, and 1m10 at home.

I vividly remember before we officially went to see him, i saw him over the wall of his field and said 'no he's too small, i dont want to go see him' but my mum said we may as well, and I'm so glad i did. Despite being a stubborn little git at times, he has given me confidence i never thought id have, and he has a home with us for life.

So.. he wasn't my ideal horse when i first set out looking, but he is now (although i wouldn't mind if he miraculously grew a hand or two)

 

[Crugeran Celt]

I always wanted a 14 to 14.2hh Welsh sect d dark bay mare between 8 and 12 years old, ended up with a 15.1hh bright bay 5 year old sect d gelding. Had two pb welsh before him and would never buy a full d or a gelding ever again.

 

[Dumbo]

Wanted a 15hh, 8 ish Fjord to do every thing on.
Got a 14hh 12yo Fjord that's proving more of a project than I wanted but going to stick with it and hope we get there soon!

 

[spookypony]

I wanted a silver dressage diva. I got a round brown pony that spooks for Scotland, despises schooling, is dangerous to jump, but is extremely clever and an excellent hacking, trekking and endurance pony! However, now I also have a white dressage hopefully-soon-to-be diva!

 

[LittleGinger]

Wanted a Welsh D with four white socks and flaxen mane and tail - have one - tick

Then I ended up with a beautiful dapple grey Connie X - wasn't looking; owner was giving up and someone suggested we get in touch.

Then I started to look properly for a bay/dark bay gelding with Carnaval breeding that I could compete BS with. Bought a white mare that doesn't jump (and love her to pieces. And she's practically bay in winter anyway).

 

[vmac66]

Always wanted a 15.2 thoroughbred type chestnut mare. Ended up with a 14.2 blue and white cob x trotter who is fairly green. Bought him as I felt sorry for him from local riding school where he wasn't happy. Wouldn't change him for the world now .

 

[Leo Walker]

Mine but 8yr old not a stroppy 5yr old! The irony is when I bought him as a 2yr old it was to drive as I didnt know if I would walk again. He'd have made a cracking driving pony and I do keep talking about getting into it. Hes spent some time out on loan and lots of time doing absolutely nothing, while I had another horse who on paper was much more suitable, but actually wasnt for me at all.

Took me a while to realise I had what I wanted right in front of me and there was a good reason I couldnt ever bear to sell him. He must have been for sale about 10 times now! I just needed to pour money and time into him to get him to where I want him to be, and to be fair, barring some saddle fitting blips and me having the misfortune to get really ill, we have made good progress and I am really enjoying the journey with him.

Thats because even when hes being a pigpony, I adore him! I did from the first time I saw a picture of him, when I had a fractured spine with a bad prognosis for walking properly again and shouldnt even have been thinking about horses! I was still in a full metal body brace and smacked off my face on morphine when I went to view him! Best stupid decision I have ever made :lol:

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

My ideal horse would be a completely sound version of my chestnut tb. He is gorgeous in every way but he is currently 1-2/10 lame in trot 6months after injury his hind sdft... Again ...

I would also love my big grey horse to have a more sloping shoulder, he is a but upright but apart from that he is totally awesome and does everything I want him to do.

I don't think I could imagine my perfect horse as anything other as they are perfect for me.

As was my grey Shetland til I outgrew him, my darty and my late fell pony. Almost perfect, amazing conformation but with their quirks which made them fun! (Never dangerous just good fun!)

 

[Flame_]

Arabs. Had a chestnut one and now have a black one. A massive, miserable shame the chestnut died before his time but otherwise the stuff of dreams and it is reality!

 

[FfionWinnie]

Arabs. Had a chestnut one and now have a black one. A massive, miserable shame the chestnut died before his time but otherwise the stuff of dreams and it is reality!

Oooh you got one then...!

 

[kassieg]

I bought my ideal horse when I bought my eventer, I wanted something that would make about 16hh a mare, pretty & lovely temperament. Just wanted a nice little horse to break in & have some fun with, what she did for me was so much more

I always wanted something with the same connie breeding as my old mare & I got that in my little connie, she certainly has the same amount of talent as well so hopefully she will do well

My ish is connie x tb which is what my horse of a lifetime was & I always wanted another, hoping she will be half as good & I will be happy

after these I want a proper event horse, but we shall see !

 

[Hanson]

I had my perfect horse, a beautiful dapple grey light weight cob, 15hh mare. Got her as a 3yr old and despite some medical problems (splint, locking stifle) she was great, but she was never really 'friendly'. As she got older she got less and less friendly and would nip you if she could when tacking up....little things that didn't really register at the time. Long story short- she sustained two field injuries that left her in the horspital, where she was also diagnosed with EMS, poor thing probably felt like poop all the time. Sadly she was pts as she would never have come sound and wouldn't have had a happy life with restricted turn out. She was just 7.

However I couldn't find another horse to fit my criteria and eventually went to see a horse that everybody said I should view, but I didn't like the look of... She was too young (4), too big (16hh) and the wrong colour (skewbald), coloured horses didn't appeal to me. I wanted a small cob, that had done a bit of everything to grow old gracefully with.

I bought said mare and she kept growing! She is now about 16'1, but long 'big' and is a bouncy WB cob cross, I have the horse of my dreams. I adore her.

OH made legs for the mounting block!

 

[Deltaflyer]

My ideal horse was always a chestnut arab with a white blaze and four white socks and my first horse was a 14.3 chestnut arab with a smidge of welsh D with - yep, a white blaze and four white socks. My next ideal would have been a 15.2 version of her.

When I bought my current boy I'd more or less decided on a connie or connie X around 15,2, grey or dun, or a smart coloured or a bigger version of my old pony. I ended up with Samuel, grey and white so he fulfils the coloured and grey criteria, 15.1, connie X. To ride he's a lot like my old pony so I think I've actually ended with my ideal twice

 

[Jazzy B]

I have my ideal and dream horse - his one cool dude!

 

[JLD]

I wanted a 15.2 mw sensible low level safe all rounder. I bought a 16.3 IDx tank who was either lazy to the point of static or leaping around terrifying me and everyone else. I persevered for 7 years before he was PTS for arthritis ( probably underlying most of his behaviour in retrospect although I had him worked up several times ) by which time I had no desire to ever get on a horse again. I gave up horses but now have a 13.2 Welsh x who is good on LR when my kids want to ride ( not often ) but has no desire to interrupt his life of rest and relaxation to be troubled by actual work , which suits me !

 

[LiffWee93]

i would have loved a chestnut sec d with four whites and a blaze -- realised after having a sec d, that i really dont any more ... so, id love a bigger version of my newforests, ideally!!
or a pre --- i rode my friends beautiful late pre, and he was absolutely incredible.... would love one -- but my little mare thinks shes latino and has all the spirit of one ---- just a smidge small!!

 

[M4X]

After seeing one advertised before I was ready to buy, I had my heart set on a Friesian x Shire. I ended up with a TB x ID on loan instead of buying. He is everything I could ever hoped for and more.

 

[horselover02345]

My dream horse is a 15.3 hh mare, schoolmaster skewbald, irish hunter build horse,forward going, i don't have a horse yet but i ride a 14 hh piebald cob mare school horse but is very lazy and cuts to the back in trot and canter and a 16.3hh piebald irish sports horse mare that goes into extended trot whenever any intermediate/novice rider is going without a leader and doesn't canter with a lead so you are forced to canter by yourself

 

[Cinnamontoast]

I wanted a cobby type horse, or like an irish sports horse/irish draught kind of thing, an all rounder type. Preferably mare, looking for the ages between 8-11, around 16-17hh. Preferably black too, but I was quite strict on it not being chestnut as after a chestnut ex racer broke my leg I decided they were evil. Just looking for something that would give me confidence and that I could grow with, and most importantly would stand still at the mounting block as I was still terrified to get on a horse at times.

I got a 16hh, 6 year old Oldenburg x Connemara grey gelding with an exceptional movement and plenty of scope, although lacking in training, very green. However he has been an excellent buy even though when I first saw him he looked grumpy and then I saw him rear with the rider who was showing him off. I also saw him just walk off while the person was getting on him, so again that scared me. It was actually my dad that convinced me to get him as I was blind to his potential because of my nerves, but my dad (the non horsey person) took one look at his movement and said 'we're buying him'. First time I sat on him, he went to walk off and I of course tensed up and pulled back on the reins to stop him and he immediately stood still and waited for me to be ready. It was like he went 'wow ok you're terrified, I'll behave dont worry' and when I asked him to move he hesitated like 'are you sure, are you ready'. Even when I took him out on a hack and was hanging on his mouth from fear which he doesnt like you doing, he still behaved like a gentleman and didnt do anything odd, not even when dogs were barking nearby or when something in the shadows caught his eye and made him stop.

He has been an absolute star, putting up with me taking ages to get on him, and trembling from fear while on him for 5-10mins. He would just amble around the arena, not caring, sighing now and again at my stupidity. He's never done much stupid, he's heard snow falling off the roof of the indoor arena that normally spooks other horses. All it got out of him was his head went up and that was it. He's terrified of the pigs, but when I'm on him he's not done anything more than a jog, whereas when I'm not on him he'll bolt in his field if they squeal. We do have a strong bond and I know deep down he wont hurt me deliberately and that he'll protect me the best he can, but thanks to the ex racer my mind doesnt fully believe this yet.

Really I wasnt in a fit state mentally to get a horse, but I'm glad I got him. Now with all the food he's been getting and the work he's grown to 16.2 and gone up to 6'9 in rugs from 6'3/6'6 so I've told him to stop growing, but I doubt he'll listen.

He sounds fabulous! That's a fab story.

You lot aren't good at putting up photos, so here's one of mine having just had ten minutes with a lick. He's no longer fluffy and is now hogged. I'll do a post clipping pic at the weekend.

 

[The_Dappled_One.]

My 'dream' horse since I first started riding has been a 15.2hh dapple grey ISH gelding, around 6-8 years old. The fantasy was buying him for pennies and bringing him on to be my perfect horse.

That was forgotten when I got my first pony who was the opposite, however after a tragedy we lost him. Completely by accident I came across my lad afterwards who weirdly fits every aspect of my lifelong 'dream' horse.

We bought him for nothing and while it's been a rollercoaster of tears and bruises, he's turning into something amazing

 

[rachk89]

He sounds fabulous! That's a fab story.

You lot aren't good at putting up photos, so here's one of mine having just had to minutes with a lick. He's no longer fluffy and is now hogged. I'll do a post clipping pic at the weekend.

Aw he is lovely.

I forgot a photo here is a more recent one of mine not looking overly impressed at me for having made him do work evil mummy!

Hope that worked.

Edit to add look at those back feet! Standing like an idiot with his toes out haha he never normally stands like that. And please excuse his dodgy clip he doesn't take clipping well and wakes up from sedation really quickly.