You've bought the horse, but somehow "forgotten" to mention it to your significant other ...

[Expo]

Following on from my other thread about buying unseen ... I'm still on the lookout for my next perfect pony, and have been chatting to lots of horsey pals about it. One friend shared a story about getting a new horse (in addition to her three others) and somehow "forgetting" to mention to her husband that it had arrived!! He only noticed several weeks later when he saw a grey in the field - her other three are all bays. At time of writing, I have to confess through the anonymous medium of the HHO forum, that I have yet to mention to Mr E that I am horse hunting. ... I think he is under the impression that I will be hanging up my boots when Bob is no longer with us ...... So ...shall I keep this as my guilty little secret, or fess up??? Anyone else want to confess their horse buying sins???

 

[Regandal]

And that is why I only buy bays, and refer to them as ‘the horses’. Could be 2, could be 4, who can tell…….?

 

[Frano]

Done the same with bays, then said it belonged to a friend.

 

[Patterdale]

I only tell mine once the transport is booked ?

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I did once buy one while OH was in Vegas on a conference and then announced it on FB. He was quite cross as we'd discussed it and he had said it wasnt a great idea. Me being a daddy's girl took this as an 'ok' rather than a flat out no. He still married me and we're still married . I'd not do it again though, he's way too observant and even notices new breeches and headcollars etc (he's very supportive joking aside, he has actually bought the last two for me since then-he jokes that the only reason I bought the one while he was away because he was only £125 lol)

 

[milliepops]

i'd get totally rumbled as OH is my farrier

tho I did sort of present the now 3yo as a done deal when he was on his way. He was totally against it but I knew he'd come round. And he has, he's a lovely lovely horse, very sweet character that you can't help but like.

 

[Parrotperson]

gosh aren't we all terrible cheats and liars ??????.

Not done it with a horse but done it with a dog!! Of course he noticed it when it arrived in the living room but by then he was smitten........

 

[smolmaus]

My OH recently handed in his PhD so in not wanting to bother him with extra stress at a very stressful time I accidentally went from "Oh yeah I'm on the waiting list, could be months though, who knows, don't worry" to "Stable came free, I am viewing ponies on Saturday" with no in-between which... he did not appreciate. I was genuinely trying to be considerate!

 

[Ample Prosecco]

Oh yes! But OH is resigned. He knows we go from 'I'm thinking about' to 'meet....' in a matter of 24/48 hours. Though not any more, I'm being more sensible now! Lottie, Amber plus offspring will be my last horses. Probably.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

I have sown the seed this year for the next one-I am expert at the long game

 

[milliepops]

i have to be totally fair to my OH, he is very supportive. it was his idea to breed the yearling and as top horse is looking like she may have to retire he suggested i should get another. I couldn't have a better partner in general but particularly from the horse POV, I've never had that kind of understanding before.

 

[meleeka]

I had a friend once that had 5 ponies. Her OH thought she had two! It took a couple of years before he found out too.

 

[MuddyMonster]

I've no qualms about being a bit inventive about the cost of something or 'Oh, that saddle pad? No, thats not new darling, I just bought it home to wash it' ? But don't think I could lie about having or not having a horse. Which is probably just as well, as I'm not very good at keeping secrets in so would drop myself in it within approximately 1.5 seconds

 

[Peglo]

When I asked my dad if I could have my first pony when I was 13 he said no and closed the door on me…. I got the pony. Oh to have the best granny who had the final say. Parents have never paid a penny towards my horses.
As for the OH, he was working from home all last year and helped me with my 2, leading haffie out, mucking out, doing buckets. Everything. He was great. So I made sure he was on board with a 3rd. But he is back to work now so doesn’t have time to help this year… luckily for him.
Loving these stories ?

 

[julesjoy]

I've acquired several over the last few years that OH has only discovered when he's come up for a chat. Longest took 6 weeks to notice. It's not that I lied, I just didn't mention them. If he'd asked if I had a new one I'd have said yes, but he didn't.... He wasn't terribly impressed though!

 

[ElleSkywalkingintheair]

Mine live in the garden and DSW is the one that brings them all in the ams so doubt I'd get away with it ? Luckily he's an enabler and a soft touch so is fine.... and everyone buys their shetland its own pet shetland don't they?

 

[Laurac13]

A friend of a friend used to have a show jumper he named “don’t tell the wife” you can guess why!

 

[spacefaer]

My OH is the one that sees one for sale and pushes me to organise a viewing ....

 

[CanteringCarrot]

My OH is horsey, so I can't pull the "another bay horse" trick on him, but his eyesight has worsened, so perhaps if he doesn't wear his glasses when he's at the yard...

 

[Bernster]

Haha. I fessed up after I’d viewed the first horse. I didn’t buy that but OH was not at all surprised and knew I’d be looking. He then gave me money for a horse as my special birthday present! Lovely OH.

 

[Bonnie Allie]

My husband bought yet another horse without my knowledge. He chose to tell me after he had taken me to a nice restaurant for dinner knowing I wouldn’t make a fuss in public.

It was a very silent dinner.

 

[Steerpike]

I'm in the middle of possibly getting another horse, I briefly mentioned it to my better half, he didn't say a flat out no so I'm going with I am allowed to squeeze another one in!

 

[rabatsa]

I had one for three months before Mr R found out. I could not get away with that now as they are all kept at home. They were when I got the other one but it was foot and mouth and I kept it at the breeders place until the country got the all clear.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Daughter and I did, more her than me. She was “helping” restart an ex racer round the corner at a livery yard… oh couldn’t get his head around why the “bloody lazy” owners couldn’t at least feed him if she wasn’t around and why I had to go muck out etc now and then ?‍
Eventually found out when I lost my horse so we had space to bring him home ?

 

[PurBee]

Love these stories! ??

It was my OH who suggested getting a horse and me saying ‘oh noooo, far too much work considering what mountain of work we’ve already got on’
I rarely listen to my instant reaction and go against that wisdom!
So bought a pregnant mare…like you do! ??‍?? …and the rest is history as they say! Still struggling to contain that houdini foal….??

 

[southerncomfort]

Mine live in the garden and DSW is the one that brings them all in the ams so doubt I'd get away with it ? Luckily he's an enabler and a soft touch so is fine.... and everyone buys their shetland its own pet shetland don't they?

This my OH...he's a massive enabler!

When I told him last year that I'd had it and was finally giving up horses for good he was aghast. When I found Bo's advert he was as excited as me and he absolutely adores him.

I've said that Bo will be my last and OH just looks doubtful and says their is no point having land and stables if they're empty.

He's very much on board with my plan to have a large herd of mini Shetlands when I'm too old and decrepit to ride! ?

 

[ElleSkywalkingintheair]

I have a plan for an army of minis too SC, DSW has even been spotted working out how to fit 3 mini stables into our biggest stable so can squish another Shetland in ?

 

[teddypops]

I’m lucky, I don’t need to hide anything. If I want another pony, I tell my husband, he usually come to see it with me then he pays and we collect! I am happy for him to have his vintage cars and motorbikes so it works both ways!

 

[SEL]

I spent my pension money buying fields so I could collect

OH says 4 max. I smile and nod. Only criteria is the next one mustn't be broken (as in damaged). I don't think he understands that any horse can happily damage itself no matter what the price tag and therefore fields are necessary to keep retiring and replacing.

The Appy was given to me so really he had not choice in that. She adopted the big boy so I persuaded OH to meet him and then that was a small draft horse added to the herd. Micro cob was meant to be a short term covid project, but to be fair to OH he did roll his eyes and say she won't be going anywhere. They just sort of turn up. Bit like feral cats.

 

[FFAQ]

I shared a field a couple of years ago with a friend who had 4 Dartmoor ponies. She then bought 2 more and told her husband they were mine! Dunno what she told him when I moved and just took my actual horses ??