Reminiscing about the HorseLand game

[collegialequestrian]

Anyone remember HorseLand before it turned into a TV show and the online game completely changed? I was around 11-12 in the heyday of the site and got REALLY into making intricate photos of my “horses” on Photoshop.

Other than that though, I don’t exactly remember how the game was played. I remember there were different trainers and shows, and fake money to buy better virtual horses or dogs (as well as some very questionable forums)…but how did the virtual shows actually work? Anyone remember? I think I remember it was all text based.

[Toaster]

I just remember breeding a ton, lol. And there was some sort of market to buy/sell but I don’t remember how value was determined. I remember the pictures and the pages, my first foray into photoshop.

[supaflyskye]

I loved that game, I also played a similar, smaller game called Ludus Equinus. My favourite part was designing the photos too.

[Feb]

I never left it…

http://www.horseland.com/vownersd.hl?id=1843083

[Fig]

Ah, I spent wayyy to much time on that game. I also made a ton of “money” by creating custom photos and homepage layouts. I used the money to buy great horses but wasn’t great about entering them into shows and racking up more points. When you bred two horses their offspring got a certain percentage of the parent’s points. When the game changed, around the time the show came out, I left. I was mainly on it for the photoshopping aspect which I continued for a few years on Deviant Art.

[Fig]

Feb I love your layout

[Lady_Eboshi]

Loooonnnnngggg before video games, my friends and I did this with “stick” hobby-horses. We’d beg our folks for the “made” ones with stuffed, vinyl heads and painted sticks, but made tons of others (usually their “foals!”) out of triangular pieces of sawn boards and sticks we cut ourselves. We painted on their faces.

Beneath the ramp up to our tree house was the “stable,” we built a SERIOUS course in the field surrounding that apple tree, and spent HOURS deciding who was going to be “bred” to whom to get the Perfect Foal that we’d ride in the Olympics.

I feel sorry for kids today who don’t have the opportunity for HOURS of unstructured play like that. When we weren’t horse breeders and USET jumper riders, we were Indians with self-made bows and arrows, fur trappers “skinning” skunk cabbages, Lewis & Clark carving trail-blazes in trees, or witches making mini-scary-jack-o’lanters from hard-as-a-rock Bartlett pears. I think I’d already lost 3 jackknives by the time I was eight. Fortunately, my grandfather kept giving me more.

The HorseLand video episodes are a kick–they’ve got “Barn Drama” down pat!

[Polydor]

Yup Spent waaaaay to many hours on that game. Probably grade 9 to into college years. Bred hanoverians mainly under the username .forgotten. or .forgo. I was also in it for the photoshopping. Was partners with Katie who had one of the first million point stallions.

Oh I have randomly gone by the site over the years since Australia leading tack store chain is also called Horseland. Normally typed in the wrong website and would land on the game.

P.

[Ennaleahcar]

Oh man, I remember that game. SO. MUCH. PHOTOSHOP.

[Feb]

[QUOTE=Fig;7970458]
Feb I love your layout[/QUOTE]

Thank you! Although I’ve been using it forever. I’m just too busy/lazy to make a new one.

[dressagechickmn]

I played Horseland, had a couple partners that I ran breeding and training farms with. Had multiple accounts with lots of money and horses and spent too much time on it haha. I was also the girl that played horse role playing games on the web with message boards and everything

[theblondejumper]

I LOVED Horseland. I always begged my parents to buy me a premium membership (they may have one year). It was just SO much fun. So addictive. What a set up.

I mourn the old days of that site!!

[theblondejumper]

I just went to the site out of curiosity and I forgot about this game!! So fun.

http://www.horseland.com/bankGameShowOpen.aspx

[One_Two_Three]

I recently figured out my login! I have one of those rare “6 digit club” account numbers. The game has changed so much. I remember when it first started changing how upset I was because I busted my childhood-teenage(yup) years becoming a horse mogul on the game. Photoshopping my horse’s pictures, doing layouts, etc…sigh…the days…

my millions of HL dollars are gone, too. I guess if you don’t login for several years HL deletes all your money :yes:

[tbhuntergirl]

I used to play too… Username was Kohl and I had a six-digit account. Sadly, my login is long forgotten. Those were the good old days.

[ohmissbrittany]

I played it in the late 90’s and it really set me up for some bad expectations. “Your horse had navicular. Treatment is $60.”

What the hell planet is that from? Because I wanna live where those vet bills are!