I will also mention my amazing Maddie whose mom was my first horse as a post graduate degree money earner. I bred her to raise the baby for myself and it was a wonderful project. I did everything 100% myself to start and she was super easy as we had such a bond. We did some hunters and hunter trials–she was always super brave and honest although she had her opinions if you were not doing things right! She also helped me raise future young ones by ponying them for me at shows, outings and on the trail. She is more family to me than horse; she is happily enjoying retirement now at my farm at the age of 19.
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My daughter’s first horse. AQHA registered and bred to be a cutting horse but somehow made his way to an English lesson barn. He was eight when she saved $3,000 to buy him. He Pony-Clubbed and evented but found his true niche as a fox hunter. He taught the whole family to ride and carried us all hunting for twenty years. He retired along with three of his hunt field buddies, and later even became the seeing-eye horse for one of his herd who was blinded in a lightning strike. He passed away peacefully at age 36.
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I’ve known several cutting bred quarter horses that became great little lesson/teach-them-to-jump ponies!
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Right before Covid I took Sullivan to a local show, that was running a hunter derby that was pretty much rope around a field! It was a great learning experience for him and a reminder for me that “nope footing doesn’t have to be well manicured” and we can jump hay bales and logs! And damn if they didn’t have a dry ditch at the bottom of a devils dyke! “Surprise” 
Maybe with a bit of “spook and GO” but heck it made him round enough he got a 2nd and I managed to hang on! Well manicured hunters were surprisingly easy on our next outing!
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Those were the days! The divisions included a class on the outside course - always my favorite! It was so fun to be out on the grass, away from the crowds and galloping around. I remember Quentin, Coppergate, and Ludwig’s Corner had great outside courses.
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My father took some film (!) of me galloping the outside course at Chagrin, back in the days when it was held at the polo field. Such fun! Sadly, both the film and the days of outside courses are gone.
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All of these pictures are fabulous and so much fun to see! So cool seeing some the pictures I remember from following the board since ~2012, and so many cool new ones! I don’t have any readily available pics of the wonderful horses I’ve had in the past on this computer. But here are some of my now coming 3 year old that I love. Hopefully optimistic about the future with this one! He’s just turned two in the below pics. Photo credits to my lovely husband and Purple Horse Designs!
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Pathetic. I know you want to be rid of him – I’ll be kind and take him off your hands!
Seriously though, WOW!
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@SillyHorse- Thank you! Keep in mind he typically can bit a bit unimpressed with the fences but he had just rubbed the pole the previous time through so gave it ample room in these pics. That said, it’s nice to know that he’s got that in there! I adore him!
Your post and pic made me smile! Love it!
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I have so many great memories with my horses. I am grateful to all of them. I will share a few from back in the day.
This was my first horse as a 20 something re-rider. What a really good boy. He was the prettiest TB and close to17hh. He wasn’t super warm and fuzzy on the ground. But he sure was amazing to ride. My biggest highlight as a rider is earning the Championship at Upperville with the one and only Rodney Jenkins judging. I have never had more perfect courses in my life. And it was solely because I let Buck do his job.
This little girl was amazing. She had a fan group in VA. Miss America. I forgot the course at Keswick, but Harry yelled me around. And then amazingly we made the jump off for third. Pic was at Upperville.
This TB girl was amazing. This was at the Hampton Classic. Something that was on
and now is off my bucket list. She was a great, scopey and such an honest horse.
I have never had a horse hunt the jumps like she did. She was literally perfect. The only thing I ever questioned her about, was trying to steal a hamburger from a GP rider walking by.
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Harry DeLeyer? For reals?
ETA: I am incredibly envious that you got to work with him. I briefly worked for his brother Willy, back in the 70s, and heard a lot about Harry from Willy.
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What a great thread! I’m relatively new to hunter land but I’ll share some from my long past polo days.
Practicing the near side on the college team. Let’s all agree I probably hit the ball really, really far right after this photo was taken.
Grooming at the club in summer. I promise I haven’t ridden without a helmet in 15 years.
And my baby (can’t use that excuse much longer) ottb last summer, his first over fences in the extremely greens. We both have a lot to work on but I’m proud of this shot, taken by a friend. Hoping for many more years of adventures with him.
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My Dad took movies of my junior classes. No photos, 
I was sent a tiny photo taken of me on my pony in our driveway when I was about 8 and one blurry one as an adult my ex took of my friend and me as we were going out for a hack.
I can still see the enjoyment in my minds eye, but I do wish I had the photos. None of the photos would show me leaping big fences though. 
.
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I was 2 1/2 years old and deaf, this matters to the story.
We were in the zoo and there was this photographer giving little kids leadline walk-arounds and taking pictures.
Many kids were ok until they were hoisted up, then scared cried and hung on parents.
They tell me I kept wanting to hug the pony and would not leave.
They decided to get a picture.
Once on board, I was very serious and was waving my father away.
He moved over and they took the picture and I kicked the pony, that took off trotting.
Everyone was yelling, which I didn’t hear and chasing us.
Finally they caught pony and then they could not get me off, I was crying when they tried and holding fast.
My first picture and wild ride on a horse: 
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Best thread ever!
I’ve seen that pic before and know where it was taken. The immortal Weldon’s Wall at Greenwood Farm, Weatherford TX.
Loved that place, heart & soul. Never going back, though, not sure what’s become of it since it is no longer an eventing facility, not sure I want to know.
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This one above … we know this one is a schooling HT because the ‘flags’ are paper plates stapled to the front. 
The project. 
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I have stapled MANY a plate to a stick in my days of prepping recognized courses. They weren’t always plywood and paint 
Em
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They don’t blow over or knock down.
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Where do you think paper companies got the idea for colored plates?
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