# never stop believing <3



## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

This horse was so scared when I took her on that she was actually dangerous. A habitual rearer, couldn't tie her up because she would set back every time and break either her halter/lead or what she was tied to, it took me three days to get a halter on her the first time and I couldn't even TOUCH her without a fight to begin with. She went over the round pen fence because of a very minor mistake I made, where I pushed when I could have and perhaps should have backed off, and because of that [or at least I believe it stems from that incident as I have seen nothing else that could have caused it!] she is cold-backed... though she isn't actually sore anywhere.

I was told not to bother. I was told I didn't know what I was doing, and that I would get myself killed. I was told that this horse [any horse] was better off dead than with me, putting up with my 'abusive' training and 'neglectful' ways. [bearing in mind that NONE of these people actually knew me or had seen me ride, or train, and NONE of them had come, when invited, to point out where exactly I was being so neglectful]

It's been a long and rocky road, but my horse is no longer a habitual rearer. She does set back when she's tied still, on occasion, but nowhere near as badly, and she has her definite triggers. I can handle her feet without her having a meltdown and for the first time, got a GOOD trim done on all four feet last week, not just a "quick, get the nippers, let's get this length off while she's standing quietly!"

She's started and going very kindly, though is presently spelling [I just brought her in for this video, was only a 10 minute ride] until she turns 3 and I bring her into light to moderate dressage work.

And her work ethic? Second to none. This horse tries SO hard for me and it's all business the moment the saddle goes on. She loves trail rides, although she has a severe lack of confidence when there are no other horses so I won't take her out alone.

Now - I am aware of my mistakes, I got some lovely critique on another forum so please excuse my errors.





I am about 5'3, so she looks pretty tiny, huh? I just have crazy long legs, she's actually over 16hh and very bum high at the moment - looking like she might make 16.3 or even 17hh at this rate! She's almost in ideal condition, I just want a little bit more weight on her so that she doesn't look horrible with the light coming from a certain angle and making the very faint shadow of rib look 100000x worse than it actually is.

The love I feel for this horse is just beyond anything I can possibly comprehend and I'm so proud of how far she's come. I'm honored to be "her" person.

ALL VIDEO AND EDITING CREDIT GOES TO MY AMAZING FRIEND ANNIE.


----------



## muumi (Oct 17, 2011)

I must say, everytime i see pictures or video of you on this horse, I have a crazy impulse to ask you if you have sticked her? She looks so much smaller than 16hh under you. My filly just reached 16hh, and I must say, her size is starting to be imposing to me, and I'm tall!


----------



## RacingAustralia (Aug 7, 2012)

muumi said:


> I must say, everytime i see pictures or video of you on this horse, I have a crazy impulse to ask you if you have sticked her? She looks so much smaller than 16hh under you. My filly just reached 16hh, and I must say, her size is starting to be imposing to me, and I'm tall!



^^^this. Doing the math and online conversation sites have backed me up, 5.3 is ~160 cm
16h is ~5ft 3 
So your horse if 16hh or more should be standing level or taller than you at the wither yet in every photo I've seen you practically tower over her wither and this can be seen again in this video. 

I'm only a few cm taller than you (in feet I think I'm roughly 5.5) and my personal riding horse is 16.2h, which is almost equal my height. In every photo of us his wither is just about equal with the top of my head, maybe ever so slightly higher. 

So either you're ALOT taller than you think or your horse is nowhere near 16h


----------



## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

My other horse is officially measured 15.1 1/2 and she's easily a hand taller than him  in boots with a helmet on [especially that bulky thing!] I look a lot taller than I am, and she is VERY narrow, so doesn't take up much let, so she looks little under saddle.

She doesn't look big at all until you stand next to her, have had old racing folks who know exactly where 16hh is on their body stand next to her and she's a bit over. Not by much but she is.


----------



## Supanova (Jan 21, 2013)

I have a hard time believing she was ever a nutter in the first place, its likely it was just your lack of experience that caused her issues. Im happy to see that she has taught you how to handle her and that you were open to learning. I want to say Im glad you achieved this without injury, but I know you have both had a fair few along this road. Look forward to seeing more updates. Im sure she has much more to teach you and with your new willing attitude to learn you could both achieve what you want. (although I wonder what other apparent ailments she will have in the meantime...)


----------



## AnalisaParalyzer (Apr 25, 2012)

eeesh. let the girl have her proud moment. 

way to go for bringing her around!!! its always great to see a good ending to a story


----------



## Roperchick (Feb 1, 2010)

Supanova said:


> I have a hard time believing she was ever a nutter in the first place, its likely it was just your lack of experience that caused her issues. Im happy to see that she has taught you how to handle her and that you were open to learning. I want to say Im glad you achieved this without injury, but I know you have both had a fair few along this road. Look forward to seeing more updates. Im sure she has much more to teach you and with your new willing attitude to learn you could both achieve what you want. (although I wonder what other apparent ailments she will have in the meantime...)



Really??
Wow.


OP y'all look really good together! Whether she "looks" 16 or not I'm a believer lol.

My guy is 16.2-16.3 and people don't believe me because he's so big overall so its pretty hard to tell sometimes


----------



## Endiku (Dec 6, 2010)

I think your filly is very cute, Blue Eyed. It looks like she's on her way to being a great riding horse and I'm glad to hear that she's getting a break until she's three! That seems to be the best thing for young ones. I've always found them to be almost different horses when they come back, matured and ready for some serious work! her condition looks nice as well. 

Not sure where all the pessimism is coming from...even if other threads have caused controversy over this horse, it doesn't mean that every thread OP makes from now on should have to travel down the same path. If that were the case, I'd still have everyone on this form against me, because let me tell you...I was AWEFUL when I first joined! LOL. Thought I was queen of the world that knew everything, rode in a MH on horses strapped down with tiedowns....eesh. I cringe when I think of some of my first threads on here. People change, and people grow in their knowledge. Progress, no matter how it was achieved, should be applauded. Especially in a video section that is NOT for critiquing.

That being said, I just thought I'd mention that we had a gelding that was very much the same way with height. He was a thoroughbred also. VERY narrow and lean, even when he was in great condition and muscled up. He sticked (multiple times by multiple people) at 17.2 1/2hh. Dispite his height, he never really intimidated even small children and he didn't really look all that tall either, especially when being ridden. Granted...the girl in this picture was 5'8 1/2 and was mostly legs.









with a 5'1 rider:









Even though he was 17.3hh, I actually think that our current TB mare, Regal, LOOKS bigger because she is SOLID all over. Big bones, wide shoulders, and a deep girth makes her look his height or larger, but she's actually only about 16hh. She actually intimidates me with her size sometimes.

In this picture, he even looks like he's the same height as the chestnut horse, and only a bit taller than the brown horse, especially because each of the riders take up about the same amount of barrel with their legs on their horse. In actuality though, the chestnut horse is 15.3hh and the brown horse is actually not a horse, but a VERY compact 13.2hh Quarter Pony. Photos can be quite decieving!










Either way, I really don't see how OP's filly's height really matters, if she is wrong. OP definitely does not look underhorsed, so I see no problem, whether she is 14 hh or 17!


----------



## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

Thanks all.

I have said it before and will say it again, Magic came to me dangerous and untouchable. I and three other people saw her rear up and strike out at her previous owner and one of said people actually copped the strike because she was helping the guy try to get my horse on the trailer.

This horse would do something she knew was wrong and then react in a panic so fast that her freaking out was often the first any of us knew she had misbehaved at all. That is all I will say on the subject of whether or not she was actually dangerous.

She is an amazing horse and I am so lucky to have her. She followed me around while I was mucking out this morning with her muzzle on my shoulder, choosing to be with me. Different horse entirely to the standoffish, skittish, all but impossible to touch let alone actually catch emotional mess she was eight and a half months ago. She's finally the horse I could see beneath the fear. And it's not just that she's matured. She hasn't grown a brain yet.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## muumi (Oct 17, 2011)

PS. As the first replyer i would like to offer that my question about the horse's height wasnt me being pessimistic or down on the OP... i was asking out of interest. It IS interesting how horses can look such different sizes on photos, under different people, when they are still young lanky etc, and I just wondered if she were sticked. My horses are all small, so a 16hh horse always feels like a monster to me. Especially my filly, now that she has finally gotten a chest to speak of. I dont really see this thread being 'pessimistic' in tone, especially not my comment about size. Its just interesting. I can show pictures of me sitting on various horses, and it would be hard to believe how tall they are, but I am 5.9" and built like a broomstick. Cool, guys?


----------



## muumi (Oct 17, 2011)

On that note, I do remember the OP's threads about Magic when she first arrived, and I'm really happy for both of you on the progress.

Its always hard to be objective from any angle when it comes to horses 'personalities'... when I had the PPE done on my arab mare, the vet's phonecall was him telling me how crazy and dangerous she is, and that I better let her pass for dog meat. She isn't aggressive at all, and it was a personality clash... which is what you had with Magic at first, Blue eyed pony, I believe? The vet couldnt see past that first impression, but you did, so you should be commended on the result, no matter how rocky the process felt to us outsiders.


----------



## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

Very nice video, so glad you are enjoying your horse, that is what is all about!
_Posted via Mobile Device_


----------



## blue eyed pony (Jun 20, 2011)

Thanks all  She's so amazing. Tries so hard to get it right, and it hurts her soul when she gets it wrong badly enough that she sends people scurrying for cover [that hasn't happened in a LONG time!]. She's such a sweetheart <3


----------

