What do you love about your horse?

[beowulf]

Thought a nice feel-good thread was overdue with all the negativity going on… and it’s been a while since we as a community just shared our own horses in a thread. I realized, I know many of you by name but don’t know anything about your horses. We all owe this community to the thing that brought us together – our love for horses… So, what it is it about horses that specifically that gives you that joie de vivre? And what is your favorite thing about your horse or the horse in your life?

I’ll start. It’s so woo-woo, but I love my horse’s eyes. One of the things that made me purchase him was how liquid and soft they were, even though he was racing and unhappy.

Here he is, my first day back in the saddle after ACL surgery - like we never even missed a day.

Here he is, being groomed by my terrified grandmother years ago.

And here he is, just chilling while I looked for his halter that the GSD puppy dragged off…

He’s just a dude. So, what about you, COTH?

[Calvincrowe]

My mare is the kindest horse I’ve ever met in 50 years of horsing around. She truly has no mean bones-- she likes every horse she meets, every person she meets, every dog… you get it. Never pushy, a little goofy, minds her manners, does her job with a smile (a bit strained at times due to my stupidity) and always has her ears forward. And I love her giant ears! She naps at 10 and 2 each day, and loves to let you love on her. She’s the horse of a lifetime!

[Alterration]

My horse is curious and inquisitive and SO DANG SMART. It’s a blessing and a curse.

What I love the most about him though is that for whatever reason he has decided that he’s my horse. Other people can handle him and ride him, but most riders/trainers make him rear and act out. I’m not a great rider, in fact I’m broken in a lot of ways from physical damage, but he tries his heart out for me. I suspect it’s because we spent so much time on the ground when I first got him as a youngster. I try hard to keep that trust going!

[ThreeWishes]

I love this thread! Meet Happy. He’s the horse I waited a lifetime for…. Big, talented, and kind. He’s basically a golden retriever in a horse suit. A barn favorite who loves everyone. And it’s almost uncanny how he looks at you. With genuine interest.

He whinnies when he sees me, takes care of my old a$$, loves bananas, and will probably be my last horse.

Edited to add I’m like the Mom who you regret asking to see pictures of her kid and she pulls out 57 pictures. Seriously I love my horse

[Calvincrowe]

@ThreeWishes. He is gorgeous-- I can see why you have a bunch of pictures! I have a collection of videos from the trainers and grooms at the barn of the silly things my mare does. Nothing scares or spooks her, so she tends to get into a pickle on purpose and have fun doing it (buckets are meant to be picked up and swung around to her great amusement and terror of the less stable horses!).

[ThreeWishes]

Thank you! And in a weird vein, I actually wholly accept anyone’s kind remarks about my horse ! It’s not like he’s my son and looks like me. He’s just my sweet unicorn who I was blessed to find. Your horse sounds lovely. I love a sense of humor in a horse. Personality +!!

[Gardenhorse]

I also love my mare’s kind eye. She is another one without a mean bone in her body - curious and interested in everyone and everything, loves food, and puts up with me and my inability to take a selfie. I also love the red highlights in her forelock.

[katiepadie12]

For me, I love his wide and kind eye (complete with stunning lashes), large floppy ears, and expressive personality. My favorite thing about him might be his sense of commitment. He loves having his hand held and in return, is the most solid citizen in spite of his youth

[sophie]

@ThreeWishes What a hunk! No wonder you can’t help posting lots of pics, He’s gorgeous.

[BrookdaleBay]

He’s predictable and kind, safe, and has a serious work ethic - a glance in the arena mirrors shows his expression as “I’m doing in, we’re going, lets do this”. Everyone loves that his little ears nearly touch at the tips when they’re fully forward, and his eye is serious, but also kind. He’s not vocal, but his ears always perk and his expression brightens when I approach his stall.

[sophie]

What I love about my mare is…her quirks.
She can be hot, complicated at times, does NOT love every horse, to the point that riding her when some of her “foes” are in the arena with us can be scary - she acts like she wants to kill them. She tries her heart out for her rider, but is still prone to “moments” even at 23. I never know which horse I’m going to ride on any given day it’s never boring! Not bad for the old couple we are (20 years together!)
Here’s a picture from last year.

[ThreeWishes]

Love all your beautiful horses and their stories!

[sportyspicepony]

I am crying!!! I love this thread so much!!! And love getting to know the horses behind the usernames.

There’s so much I love about my horse I could go on forever. I still feel kind of insecure about my decision to buy her sometimes, questioning whether I made the right choice etc. etc. but even if we never reach any of my riding goals at all… I’m just obsessed with her face!!!

I just love staring at her. Her color is soo bright and her flaxen mane and tail are SO pretty to me, also her pretty red eyelashes. She is like the color of pumpkin pie

I also love her brain, she has a lot of self confidence and is very independent but also social. I feel like if she were a person she would be a Regina George type popular girl, she’s always flirting with geldings AND mares and just loves to hang out with her friends in the pasture she’s fun on trails, she loves to explore and is a super forward, bold and scopey jumper which was the main reason I was attracted to her in the first place! She is my little queen.

[sportyspicepony]

I love her!!! you can tell she’s a kind one in this pic.

[sportyspicepony]

Those lashes are amazing!!!

[candyappy]

I have 2 horses and I love them both. First my 16 year old ( soon to be 17) mare Candy. I have owned her since she was a weanling. She has a few personality quirks but she is a very forward ride with a fantastic walk. She loves being loved on and will stand behind me and just lay her head on my shoulder. Just happy to be with me.

The second is Salem. I got him as a yearling. He is just 3 and is the naughty , pesky youngster all the other horses dread. Forever pulling off fly masks, trying to get into his mouth anything in reach etc… He is brave, inquisitive and never misses a thing.

He adores being with people and so far he has been a dream-- since lightly starting under saddle in May. A good thing because he can buck like a bronc when he feels the need.!

[Spudsmyguy]

Spud is not the horse in my avatar, that’s Odin. Spud is the TB I bought hoping to make him an eventer until he decided he didn’t like to jump. However, he is the sweetest guy and loves to be groomed; his upper lip can’t get any longer when I hit a particularly itchy spot. He’s a real goober and trusts me above all others. I love the big galoot and he has a home with me forever, unfortunately, he suffers from stress so we try to keep it low key and do easy trail rides,

This is my horse of a lifetime. His name is Woodrow and the best guy ever. He passed away a few years ago and not a day goes by that I don’t think about him. I miss him so much. We had 20 years together and he was still toting my butt around the mountains at age 30 and happy to do it too.

[ThreeWishes]

Lovely! Is Salem a buckskin,dun, or a dunskin? Again love seeing everyone’s beauties !

[ThreeWishes]

Woodrow. I bet we could have an endless thread about our horses who we’ve lost that made our lives so rich. I’ve had my share. I will share just one.
This was Jack. He died in 2020 at age 29 with end stage heaves. He was a rascal. Mischievous as the day is long… He was my sisters horse. She raised him from a foal. She was killed by a drunk driver when he was four years old so I took him in and kept him his entire life. 2020 really sucked for more reasons than that but I truly believe that when he crossed the rainbow bridge she was waiting on the other side

[ClassyJumper]

Apparently I really love a chestnut with chrome, but they are polar opposites! My gelding is that salt of the earth qh that everyone should have. And my mare is that chestnut tb mare that will show you everything you don’t know. But I love and appreciate them both for who they are .