What do you love about your horse?

[rhershock]

This is Happy. I have always wanted a big gray and I fell in love with him when I first met him. My favorite thing about Happy is how much he has pushed me to do better. I grew up riding the AQHA/ApHC circuits doing western pleasure, trail, showmanship, hunter under saddle, basically all of the all around things. I thought I knew how to ride and Happy quickly showed me that I had a lot to learn.

He has been the most difficult horse I have ever owned but also the most rewarding. I love how much he has helped me soften and listen to him. He has truly changed everything about the way I ride for the better. He is pretty quirky and I would definitely have renamed him Loki if he didnt already come to Happy. He is a little mischievous but in a very wholesome way.

Happy is an off the track standardbred. Yes he can canter! He is starting his career in the jumpers this year with some eventing sprinkled in.

[cayuse]

Text Just because we need some mini pictures, here is my little guy Captain Courageous formerly known as Chicken because he was a timid little thing.

[Jealoushe]

Nice flow Captain!!!

[cayuse]

And here is Peanut. He taught me how to drive and is quite a character. He’s very much into himself . Not easy to work with but so much fun and has taught me so much along the way.

[rhershock]

Oh my goodness!!! Peanut is so handsome!

[ThreeWishes]

Peanut is like a miniature Black Beauty!!!

[Jealoushe]

Peanut is freaking adorable! He looks like a total heart breaker

[Spudsmyguy]

I love your matching outfit! That color is gorgeous. What is that? Coral? I have a chestnut too and trying to figure out the best color for him.

[Jealoushe]

aww thank you! I tried to change to colours that was not that common.

That pad is the Lemiuex Sorbet. Its a very light bright almost pink hue orange. I love it.

[cayuse]

Thanks guys! Peanut came to me as a biter. Not a nipper but a full blown biter. I’m pretty sure it was a defense mechanism with a little bit of “pony” thrown in for fun. He has pretty much gotten over it now. The thing is, he loves attention so he’s learned that in order to get that attention he needs to keep his teeth to himself. Hubby and I bought him because he bit, lol. We did not want to see him end up in a bad place because he bit someone.

[candyappy]

@ThreeWishes

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

They had Grullo on his coggins but I think Dun or Dunskin might be a better fit? He has a brown dorsal stripe as well as brown legs to match. Above that he has the stripes/ leg barring and slight cobwebbing on his forehead/ withers.

What beautiful horses everyone has!

[cutter99]

This is Hank. I have owned him for 18+ years, and there are times he can be an absolute d**k. But, I came off a different horse last September, cracked my helmet in 3 places, had a concussion and brain bleed, and fractured my sternum in 2 places. I was helicoptered to the nearest trauma center.

I debated about whether or not to seek out the help of a trainer to get back on, and decided NOPE, Hank is still here and able to do short easy rides, so let’s do this. If it goes badly, then I will get professional help.

Hank was a godsend! Never spooked, never took a bad step. Since he has developed arthritis in a front knee, his riding career is pretty much done, but he will live out the rest of his life here as long as he is comfortable and can get around. He is worth every penny I ever spent on him.

[TheDBYC]

We had a matched pair of minis that I bought to train to drive. They’d come from non-horsey people who hadn’t reinforced manners & were – let’s say – a work in progress. The mare was 2 & just starting her cycle, too, so sometimes everything was a big, dramatic deal for her.

One day they escaped while I wasn’t home & were grazing on the front lawn when they encountered our octogenarian landlord, who had arrived to supervise some renovation work elsewhere on the property. As much as they disliked me, they apparently had the good sense not to sass the person who leased us their plush digs. He texted to tell me what nice, friendly little horses they were; coming right up to him & then cheerfully following him back to the barn.

[Heinz_57]

I found the most unlikely partner in mine. I bought him from an auction nearly 3 years ago, as a 13.2h 3yo quarter pony for the piddly sum of $350. He was a sad, dumpy little guy whose legs pointed in four different directions, his neck was put on upside down and he clearly had lordosis.

I’d had to retire my biggest, bestest TB that year and I wasn’t mentally ready to “replace” him with another one, so I went for something completely opposite. I thought maybe I’d fix him up and ride him for a couple years and he’d make a good all around mount for my kid eventually.

He is now 6 years old, 14.1 and 1000lb of lovable PERSONALITY. He’s cheeky and mischievous but he is also a trier, and great fun to ride. Quiet enough that my 5yo is learning to trot on him on the lunge line, will stand still for days and will stop if the rider gets too off balance - but put a capable rider on him and he has plenty of zip.

If you’ve got a zipper, he’ll zip it. Wearing a hat? He’ll steal it. Carrying a whip? He’ll take that too. Something in your pocket? He’ll take it out. Want to spend an entire day brushing his masses of pony hair? He loves it. He begs for head hugs, nose kisses, and face rubs. He runs to the gate when I come to bring him in. He will leave his hay net to follow me around the paddock while I pick poo, inching along right behind me to put his head on my shoulder.

But the thing that really gets me all melty? He talks to me in that low nicker all the time. He nickers when I approach him (not near meal times). When I dismount from a ride. When I pet him, in or out of the saddle. He’ll walk up behind me in the paddock and nicker. If I step away and reapproach two seconds later, nicker. Face rubs get you instant nickers.

Basically, he turned out to be everything I didn’t know I needed. His name is Elmo.

[SadieRidingHorses]

I love Elmo!

[Kyrabee]

That we have the same color hair (white ).

Here we are goofing around with the mirrors.

Anyway, she is very personable, tries really hard and for the most part is just a joy to be around.
She has the Iberian almond eyes that you can get lost in. I decided early on, she was a keeper.

Susan

[outerbanks77]

Thanks, I might need to try to find one of those pads. I have chestnut mares too, and ended up with two shirts that color.

My young Westfalian mare became mine in a trade, and was not the horse I would have chosen. She was a gawky 2 year old to say the least. Big floaty trot, but looked like the weight of her head would tip her over. She is belligerent and stubborn, but also sweet and sensitive, and one of the smartest horses I’ve met. After three years together we are starting to mesh really well, and luckily I’m not on a timeline. She has also shown herself to be a late bloomer and is getting to be pretty fancy these days, and definitely not gawky. We are still on the struggle bus with canter, but it is coming. I’ve learned a ton bringing her along and also been given many opportunities to grow my sense of humor.

My appendix mare is just a sweetheart. Always in your pocket, nickers when she sees me, and tries hard to do the work she really isn’t built for. And she has a pretty face and is always so shiny. I bought her as a project horse, but she ended up having some issues that put me on the road to learning a lot more about biomechanics, bodywork and other, so as difficult as it’s been at times, I appreciate the journey we’ve had, which has made me a much better horse person than I was before.
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[Obsidian_Fire]

I still can’t believe his transformation!

[Obsidian_Fire]

I think we ALL need a “Hank” in our barns… these kind are so worth their weight in gold.

[cheektwocheek]

My schoolmaster gives me his unselfish knowledge while I’m learning, although he’s telling on me all the way. Also gave someone their opportunity to earn a bronze. He is worth his weight in gold.