What do you love about your horse?

[RedHorses]

My Brat is perfect for me. If you could check off boxes on an order form to get the things you want in a horse I could not get any closer to my ideal horse - INCLUDING colour and markings. He is his own horse with a great personality and expresses his opinion on how things are supposed to be. I bought him when he was a few days old and did all his training myself (and he still turned out perfect! )

He’s the sort of horse who could do anything his rider wanted, and do it well. I’m primarily an English discipline rider so we’ve done dressage, hunters, eventing, hunter paces, trail rides, horse camping, hunter paces. A friend did some drag hunts with him. I found Endurance too late - he would have been a great Endurance horse. He loves to jump or go for a gallop, but will give me plodding pony rides when I need some physiotherapy for my back. I can load him up and go ride elsewhere alone without concern. Anyone could ride him though only a very privileged few have, and he adjusted to safely suit their capabilities.

I adore this horse and it breaks my heart every time I remember we have less than five years left together - I try not to think about it. I’ve had him 23 years and if he makes it to 26 I will have had him for half of my life. Despite his PSSM, PPID and heaves I would not trade him for any other horse.

This is my superhorse about ten years ago in his prime.

[shiloh]

Those eyes! What a face!

[rockymouse]

I really like reading this thread.

My 7yo mare is talented but so sensitive and quirky. Any residual frustration or question I have about her melts when she “reads” my face with her whiskers and then carefully places her nostril so it covers my nose. She’ll breathe out and in, taking in my breath as well, for a couple of breaths before pulling away.

It’s in some way meaningful to her and I always wonder what information she’s getting from the interaction, other than knowing whatever I had for lunch that day. It never ceases to be a magical moment for me. It thrills my non-horsey husband when she does it to him, too.

[Laverne77]

This is Apple, the Standardbred I fell in love with when he came into the stable I was working at in Kentucky several years ago. He had such a happy-go-lucky attitude and always nickered whenever he saw me. He had a very peaceful presence about him. I loved his red coat and soft, knowing eyes. This photo was taken in 2015 when he was retired due to stifle issues. He was sent peacefully to the other side in April of this year.

And this is Forrest. He was very versatile and so much fun. He always tried hard to please and made friends wherever we went. He had a very kind soul. The photo is from 2007, when he was 3, showing in Kentucky. He passed away in 2018.

[beowulf]

Lovely horses – both with the sweetest expressions. So sorry for your losses.

[moonlitoaksranch]

This is Bitsey. Mustang mare captured in Nevada. She was standoffish, aloof, hard to catch, and didn’t really like to be groomed or touched when I bought her. She had been trained, but never had her own person. Since then, she has made me her own. I can touch her anywhere and know all her favorite itchy spots. She tries anything for me, but does express an opinion now and then. She’s intelligent, brave, bold, and friendly. She lets me put kids up on her now, though she wants me to know that I’m still her person afterwards. And, she gets jealous if I mess with another horse. When I ride with our son, she knows her duty is to stay with him while he rides his horse. She knows to always get between his horse and cars or other hazards. Such a smart girl! She can sense my mommy instincts.

She has the best ears that curl in slightly. She looks so Spanish in how she moves. You can see it in her trot and how she tucks her head. There is nothing excessive about her. Things are proportional with nothing wasted. She’s compact and strong. And her mane and tail have lighter hairs overlaying the black base. I love scratching along her dorsal stripe and she responds with a great camel face.

She’s the same color as hundreds of Mustangs on the open range, but I belong to this one.

[ThreeWishes]

She’s beautiful! Love her ears so much!

[quietann]

Mine is beautiful, very smart, and has been willing for me even when she shouldn’t have been. And I LOVE that she trail rides alone, safely, though it took a lot of time and gradually increasing distances from home to get her there.

[sportyspicepony]

I am officially obsessed with Elmo

[Heinz_57]

He has his own little unofficial fan club Everyone that meets him just seems to love him. How could you not?!

[Spudsmyguy]

And just because Woodrow is so handsome, this is my favorite picture of me and him. This was taken quite a few years ago on a winter trail ride with a bunch of friends.

[FjordBCRF]

This is my Charlie and I pretty much love everything about him, 100% unicorn. He was 3 when I got him last summer but was broke to ride, drive, and was considered “sensible”. I was unsure how much help I would need with such a youngster, but he has been solid from day 1. We bonded pretty quick and are a really good human/horse match, I love that I get snuggles, nuzzles and groomed by him. We’ve done more trail rides than training since he’s still young, but he is great in terms of training too; a little goes a long way and he retains things quickly. He is also very kind to my guy friend who has learned how to halter and lead him, and they are buddies too. I live three minutes away from my barn and get to see him nearly everyday at least once haha. He is also a fan favorite at the barn

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[eightpondfarm]

Horses are my life. Each have their very special qualities and i could write a chapter for each one of my equines. Then, there are the ghost horses of my past, for whom the pain has receded but the longing still goes on.

[ThreeWishes]

Love that pic of Woodrow @Spudsmyguy!! And @FjordBCRF …. Charlie makes my heart feel squishy !!! He’s

[sorrelfilly721]

God blessed me with two great ponies - one free and the other one nearly free. The first mare (buckskin) is Bloo. A horsetrader picked her up from an auction and when I saw her, there was just something about her that struck a chord with me. She was ugly and skinny, but I loved her. She ended up running 1D in barrels, herding cattle, jumping and showing 2nd level dressage, Unfortunately, she tore an impar ligament a couple years ago, so she is now retired.

The second mare (palomino) I got for free as a weanling (she is now 4). She broke her elbow at about 13 months, but miraculously healed and now runs barrels and is showing third level dressage. Her name is Miss Moneypenny, but I call her Beanie because when she was a baby, she looked like a butterbean.

[SadieRidingHorses]

@sorrelfilly721 I adore that you run barrels and do dressage!

[LSMarnell]

I love that my horse is beating laminitis.
My horse was in so much pain and rocked back and forth on his front feet for 15 days.
On the 15th day, he was drenched in sweat in a full winter coat, and shivering in pain despite being on high levels of pain meds. I called my vet and said I wanted to put him down “the day after tomorrow.”
I was my BO’s only boarder and she was at work. I sat outside his stall in that empty barn and bawled for HOURS. I just couldn’t stop. I have never cried like that in my life. I’ve owned a lot of horses, this one I have over 4000 solo riding miles on. He’s special.
Someone once called us, “Peanut Butter & Jelly.”
The next morning, he quit rocking, quit grinding his teeth…and…I called the vet and told him to come do x-rays instead of a euthanasia.
There was rotation. Worse in the LF. I ultimately made the decision to leave a wonderful BO of 10+ years, and move him to a new barn, very inconveniently located, to get him the care he needed and no grass.
Last Friday morning, I rode him for the first time in 10 months.
I have my old horse back. I am working 2 jobs, 7 days a week since March to pay for this. I haven’t had a day off since July 4th.
It was worth it.

[ThreeWishes]

@LSMarnell so happy for you!!! And your lovely horse

[Paint_Party]

Your picture is adorable and there is such an expression of joy on your face. It made me smile.

[candyappy]

I forgot to say that one of the best things about all 3 of my horses is that they poo all in the same spot in the dry lot!! Makes cleaning a breeze everyday.

Salem especially as he does his best to make a poo mountain