# Your "Heart Horse" Stories



## AngelWithoutWings54 (May 24, 2010)

How did you meet your heart horse? Why do you think you had such a connection? What did it feel like to ride or be with him/her?

Here's mine: It was June 22, 2008. I had just returned to riding after a bad injury. It was my weekly lesson, Sunday at 11:00. I walked into the barn office, and was told that I was riding one of the new horses, called Jerry. I was only 11, and to ride one of the new horses meant that your instructor thought that you were skilled enough to handle one of the "greenies." So, I walked down to the barn, and finally found the horse I was supposed to ride. He was extremely skinny, there was no muscle or fat to be seen on his body. He was white (technically gray), and he had scars and scrapes all over his body. 
I fell in love with him at once. He would be something for me to help, something to strive to make better. So, after I rode him, I begged my parents to buy him. I begged for two years, until they finally agreed.
When I'm with Jerry, it feels like nothing can hurt me. I feel safe. I feel free from the stress of school, chores, and the drama of friends. He is my one, true best friend, and I'll love him forever. 

Now share yours!


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## ThatNinjaHorse (Jul 26, 2009)

um..what IS a heart horse?


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## AngelWithoutWings54 (May 24, 2010)

It's like a horse that you have a special connection to. Almost like you can read each other's minds.


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## reveriesgirly (Aug 17, 2009)

mine was with tessa.

She was also one of the new horses. The first day i saw her. I thought she looked like one amazing little mare. When we first got her her name was cassie. And she was skin and bones. My barn owner told me to see how i liked tessa in her lesson. So i bridled her and got up. As cheesy as it sound, as soon as i sat down in her saddle. I felt at peace. I also found out she was only 7. She soon turned into my project; and as the monthes went by i was the only one she trusted. And im not lieng. I was the only one she let ride her. And that seemed to be a problem for sharon. I was riding this mare for what ? 9 months. We had the strongest connection EVER. The my back stabbing barn owner decided it would be appropriate to sell her right from under from me. I WAS SUPPOSED TO BUY HER ! so for now. im left heart broken. and i still cry. 

_ TESSA </3


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## Moosetang (Aug 13, 2010)

The family we got my horse from were friend's with my cousin. They'd been trying to sell him for a couple of years, and I am completely surprised that they didn't. He's practically bomb proof, suitable for ANY rider. Well, I tried him out once, and even though he was pretty withdrawn, I BEGGED my parents and prodded them all the time to buy him. After we built a pasture fence and a hay, tack, and shelter shed, my parents purchased him! It took about 2 years for him to come around. His previous owners weren't too kind to him, and the girl who had him before me just ran him and ran him ALL the time. Now, we have a great bond! My Dad still thinks he's just a slow pokey horse. But then again, my dad teases him a lot and Spirit is kinda weary about him. But I know the real guy underneath his act! He's a complete goof, and he's my very best friend.  I can tell him everything, or just be silent, and he knows how I am feeling. He comforts me no matter what. I would give up everything else I had just to keep him.


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## All4Crystal (Aug 19, 2010)

I have a horse like that too. I'm trying to figure out what to write to make this short...I could write about her for ever lol.
So...I've seen an ad on craigslist with no picture. The guy was selling two horses - $75ea. I had nothing better to do, so I talked my husband to go look at them. Both were just yearlings, in a pitiful shape. That explained the "no picture" ad. Neither of them was halter broke and both were extremely skinny and people shy.
Yeah I know nobody with their head screwed right on would buy them, but I fell in love with the older one. They weren't pretty – dirty, with a rain rot.
Besides I already had a horse – she wasn’t broke either and was only 13h. I got her a month prior to this. 
But there was just something in her eyes... 
(Yes at this point I had 3 horses and none of them was broke or people friendly.)
I don't have the younger one any longer, had to sell her last fall (couldn't afford 4 horses).
Anyways the older one was 18 months old TB filly. I never had plans to break her. I didn't know how to ride a horse anyways. I was just happy hanging around her. I was in love with horses ever since I was a baby, but never got to be around them before. 
I remember when I first managed to come close to her while she was eating and she didn't leave. I was so incredibly happy. Yeah, she was too shy to even eat in front of me, didn't want anything to do with people.
So I would just stand there watching her in amazement happy she was mine.
As time went I taught her how to lead and would take her for walks - more like a dog than a horse, lol. My farrier advised me to start putting a saddle on her. So I bought one and even though she thought it's going to eat her, we managed and she got used to it. So we would go for walks wearing a saddle.  I would hang out with her while she was grazing and used to lean on her just for fun. She didn't seem to mind so one day I decided to climb on her. From than on I was trying more and more stuff. Fast forward...she would bend backwards for me. If she sees me she always walks up to me to say hi and get a hug.  She is an awesome trail horse; I trust her 100% and she trusts me. We still have lot to learn. Working on collection right now. And trying to figure out how to make her pick up the correct lead. She can do it naturally I think I just don't know how to tell her what I want. 
When she sees me getting a saddle she walks in her stall so I can put it on. (that's where I always do it). She absolutely loves to gallop in empty fields and is very fast. 
I couldn't wish for a better horse. She will grow old with me, lol. 
I don't have a picture of her when I first got her, the first one was taken about a month after she came here. She is the one behind.
Second one was taken few months later.
And last two are taken few weeks ago.


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## All4Crystal (Aug 19, 2010)

reveriesgirly said:


> mine was with tessa.
> 
> She was also one of the new horses. The first day i saw her. I thought she looked like one amazing little mare. When we first got her her name was cassie. And she was skin and bones. My barn owner told me to see how i liked tessa in her lesson. So i bridled her and got up. As cheesy as it sound, as soon as i sat down in her saddle. I felt at peace. I also found out she was only 7. She soon turned into my project; and as the monthes went by i was the only one she trusted. And im not lieng. I was the only one she let ride her. And that seemed to be a problem for sharon. I was riding this mare for what ? 9 months. We had the strongest connection EVER. The my back stabbing barn owner decided it would be appropriate to sell her right from under from me. I WAS SUPPOSED TO BUY HER ! so for now. im left heart broken. and i still cry.
> 
> _ TESSA </3


That is so sad! I'm sorry.
Do you have contact on her new owners? Maybe they will decide to sell her one day and you would be able to buy her. I see it happen once a while that people find horses they used to own or ride years ago. Don't give up hope.


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## Brithorse1996 (May 25, 2010)

Well at my old riding school I found the first horse so far that I could feel.
The very first time I rode her I'd only been at that school for a couple of weeks and was getting used to not riding pony's anymore, but the first time I rode her it did NOT go well. I didn't ride her for about 2 months after that. I realised afterward what I had learnt through this event and was very grateful

But then the second time I rode her it felt so different. It was like I was barely holding onto the reins but I could feel all her movements go through my hands and body and I sort off just had to think about where I wanted to go and she went instantly. From that point on I always wanted to ride her and we had some brilliant lessons and hacks. I also remember the time she stopped me getting kicked by another pony that she normally would have had a go at. And when I had to groom her, she was considerably bigger than me but was still gentle enough even her cheeky moments when she would lift her head up so I would have no chance of putting her bridle or halter on =P

Unfortunately she was on loan to the school and I heard that at her original home she had been kept in a stall for most of her life, which was probably the reason why she couldn't canter and why she was pretty much skin and bones when she came. She was 17 years old but was still sweet. I really want to know if she ever went back to her original home. I hope she didn't

I miss her, I have yet to find a horse that I have such a connection with.


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## reveriesgirly (Aug 17, 2009)

@ all4crystal ; she was sent to a dealer. lord only knows were she is now .


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## All4Crystal (Aug 19, 2010)

I'd keep an eye on classifieds. Eventually you may find her. 

I'm on a different forum too and there is a girl that just found a horse that she has been looking for for years. And it is not the first time I heard of people finding teir horse after few years. It happens.


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## reveriesgirly (Aug 17, 2009)

thanks.


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## NordicJuniper (Jun 9, 2009)

Well my heart horse was rescued, not by me, from a bad situation. He was starving, had a 4 inch coat, his hooves were horrible and he had metal stuck in his face. I met him a few months after he was rescued, maybe more than that I am not sure. Anyway when I met him I was timid and scared and broken. I was suffering from depression and had just come from a trainer that had literally told me I would never be able to do anything on a horse like jump or blah blah blah for three years. He was very mentally and emotionally abusive now that I look back on it. Well the first time I rode Junior I knew he would take care of me, the second time I rode him I jumped for the first time in my entire life. For two years I rode that horse and I learned everything on him, he taught me how to really ride and how to have some confidence. I went from not knowing how to jump to jumping 3'3" on him and never did I have a lesson, we learned everything together, from each other and it was amazing. I wish I could own him for the rest of his life :[ Sadly I am losing him and there is nothing I can about it.


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## All4Crystal (Aug 19, 2010)

NordicJuniper said:


> Well my heart horse was rescued, not by me, from a bad situation. He was starving, had a 4 inch coat, his hooves were horrible and he had metal stuck in his face. I met him a few months after he was rescued, maybe more than that I am not sure. Anyway when I met him I was timid and scared and broken. I was suffering from depression and had just come from a trainer that had literally told me I would never be able to do anything on a horse like jump or blah blah blah for three years. He was very mentally and emotionally abusive now that I look back on it. Well the first time I rode Junior I knew he would take care of me, the second time I rode him I jumped for the first time in my entire life. For two years I rode that horse and I learned everything on him, he taught me how to really ride and how to have some confidence. I went from not knowing how to jump to jumping 3'3" on him and never did I have a lesson, we learned everything together, from each other and it was amazing. I wish I could own him for the rest of his life :[ Sadly I am losing him and there is nothing I can about it.


That's a nice story. Do you mind me asking why are you loosing him?


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## jjj3 (Aug 15, 2010)

Thank you for sharing that story. Very cool connection. I'm sorry you are losing him. I hope it's one of those deals where you can remember what you learned from him though (that's the way I deal with my 'human losses'), he was most definitely an angel sent to your life when you needed him most.



NordicJuniper said:


> Well my heart horse was rescued, not by me, from a bad situation. He was starving, had a 4 inch coat, his hooves were horrible and he had metal stuck in his face. I met him a few months after he was rescued, maybe more than that I am not sure. Anyway when I met him I was timid and scared and broken. I was suffering from depression and had just come from a trainer that had literally told me I would never be able to do anything on a horse like jump or blah blah blah for three years. He was very mentally and emotionally abusive now that I look back on it. Well the first time I rode Junior I knew he would take care of me, the second time I rode him I jumped for the first time in my entire life. For two years I rode that horse and I learned everything on him, he taught me how to really ride and how to have some confidence. I went from not knowing how to jump to jumping 3'3" on him and never did I have a lesson, we learned everything together, from each other and it was amazing. I wish I could own him for the rest of his life :[ Sadly I am losing him and there is nothing I can about it.


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## HeroMyOttb (Dec 28, 2009)

My trainer told me she knew this racehorse trainer ( ill call her k)that liked to make sure her horses went to a good home. So my trainer told me that was an option to get an ex-racehorse and retrain him to what i want..anyway lets talk about my horse.

Anyway this racehorse trainer (ill just call her k) bred my horse Hero, but soon lost Hero in a claiming race. He wasn't a horrible racehorse but not the best and did do well in his early years (did a few stakes races) but as he got older he started to do more poorly. A lot of times he was the favorite in his races. Eventually age got a hold of him and he started to slow down. Hero's current trainer at the time was wanting to get rid of him. But K felt like Hero was special and decided to call the current trainer of him to buy him back. That trainer was so relieved and allowed K to buy Hero back. She raced him a couple times and soon he started to have tiny stress cracks in his ankles, which caused calcium to build, so his ankles are slightly different sizes. Therefore he needed a new lease on life.

This is when I came in. My trainer told me about K wanting her horses to go to good homes..but months went by without a word from my trainer saying anything more. Then all of a sudden on a tuesday my trainer was like K has a horse that is ready for a new home. 5 days went by. Didnt sleep or anything and finally we hooked up the trailer to bring back the horse i have never seen. It was insant love and I now have a beautiful horse. Yea we have our problems but I love him  Hero <3


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## NordicJuniper (Jun 9, 2009)

All4Crystal-He is my friends horse and she has decided to get out of horses as she is moving and such, kind of a long story. Anyway my dad hates horses and won't let me have one so as much as I wish I could take him I can't :[


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## All4Crystal (Aug 19, 2010)

NordicJuniper said:


> All4Crystal-He is my friends horse and she has decided to get out of horses as she is moving and such, kind of a long story. Anyway my dad hates horses and won't let me have one so as much as I wish I could take him I can't :[


Sorry to hear that. It's hard when you live with your parents. Makes me glad I'm not a kid any more.
Well, hopefully he'll go to a good home. I was worried by "losing him" you meant he is sick.


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## NordicJuniper (Jun 9, 2009)

All4Crystal said:


> Sorry to hear that. It's hard when you live with your parents. Makes me glad I'm not a kid any more.
> Well, hopefully he'll go to a good home. I was worried by "losing him" you meant he is sick.


Yeah I hope he does, he is old and has been struggling with lameness issues so he needs a really special and understanding person to take him in. He deserves a retirement after his eventful life.


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## HowClever (Feb 16, 2010)

My heart horse is my big beautiful boy Rex. 

I was looking for a horse for myself after not having one for going on 10 years. I had my heart set on a clydesdale cross of some description. I was scouring internet horse classified sites, when I stumbled across a black and white picture of this lovely grey horse being ridden by a girl with the biggest grin on her face. I have no idea what possessed me to open the ad of a thoroughbred, but I did.

I read that ad over so many times. Something about it seemed to just sit right with me. Kind of a hard thing to explain, but some part of me knew right then and there that he was a special boy. 

I called the advertiser that day to ask about him. She told me that someone was actually coming to see him the next day and was supposedly bringing a trailer with them. I was pretty devastated. And over a horse I had never even met. The following night my phone rang. It was the advertiser. The people who were supposed to come see him? Never showed. I can not even describe the happiness I felt. I organised to go see him about 2 days later.

I showed up to our meeting 45 minutes early. I felt awkward. Was this girl gonna like me? What if she didn't? Surely she wouldn't let me buy her horse if she didn't like me? Needless to say I stepped out of the car with a stomach full of butterflies. I greeted her, shook her hand and chatted for a moment. Luckily, she was friendly and didn't seem to take an instant dislike to me. 

As we chatted we walked down the aisle of the barn. We got about halfway down and this big white head popped over the door of the stall furthest away and nickered softly at us. I melted. I was in love. I went through the process of having him brought out, checking him over, watching him move, but I knew I wanted that horse. I told her I would take him on a 2 week trial. Again, knowing already that I wanted him.

I brought him home and let him settle in. I rode him bareback 2 days after I had brought him home and fell even more in love. Even before the end of the 2 weeks I had contacted the seller and said "I'll take him"

The best part of all this, is that originally, although I was looking for a horse that suited me, he was actually bought to also be used as a riding school horse. On my 21st birthday (last year) we were all going out for breakfast. My cousin mentioned having to run out the paddock to check on the horses before we went. We piled in the car and headed out. I stepped out of the car and was greeted by my beautiful Rex, complete with a big bow around his neck. Best birthday ever.

Sorry for the essay, got a bit lost in my story


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## JackofDiamonds (Aug 31, 2010)

I am lucky enough to have experienced 2 horses that i have shared such a love between. My first heart horse would have to be Clyde "Tweed valley Braveheart" My mums friend was Selling her 5 yr old dapple grey aussie pony. I wasnt actually lookng for a horse but they needed the money and it would be a long time until my other pony had enough brains to do anything with. So we called her and said we were interested in clyde. The moment I rode him i adored every inch of him. He was my dream pony. We bought him on the spot. However the lady asked if we could pay in lots over 6 months. It wasnt realy an issue for us so we agreed and he stayed with me from that day. My dad built me jumps and him a stable and i rode him everywhere and i used to have sleep overs in his stable. I adored him. However at pony club she used to come up to me and always tell my how to ride him. It was very frustrating! But i didnt care as i had Clyde.... Then one night the lady rang up demanding the money from us. We tried explaining that we could get it the next day for her because the banks were closed. She said we had to get it to her now or she would be there in the morning to pick my pony up. I was devestated as what where we to do? Brake into the bank? I was gutted i felt completey empty. I sat with clyde that night while he lay next to me i cried into his neck. The lady was to gutless to show up so she sent her husband to collect him. I wouldnt hand him over to the man so the had to grab me and snatch the lead from my hands. I was screaming for them not tp take him away from me! Clyde kept neighing and pulling away from the man. We offerd the man the money but he said he wasnt alowed to take it. The man kept apologising to me, and he was crying. I hated them with all my heart. I still do to this day. They took $4,000 away from us and more importantly the took Clyde. I havnt seen him since. I find it hard to tell this story as it brings so much pain and emptyness with it. I am ballign my eyes writing it now. I dont understand how someone can take a 8yr old girls dream pony.

6 years down the track i have a new love. A part of my heart will always belong to clyde however i have a part reserved for my baby Jack. He was an ugly 4yr Browny gery coloured connemara pony. The girl selling him was completley honest and said he has problems with strangers. He doesnt like you to go near him unless he trusts you completeley. While she was talking to my mum i crawled into his paddock and just stood afar watching him. He stood and looked at me and then gave me the most lovley nicker and came galloping up to me. He stoped dead infront of me and placed his head in my arms. Now I left with a special beautiful dapple grey connemara. We have had our ups and downs. But i just love Jack with everything i have got. Lets just hope Mine and Jacks ending is a bit happier.... ♥♥♥


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## wannahorse22 (Dec 27, 2009)

These are great stories! It makes me excited for when I get a horse


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## TheRoughrider21 (Aug 25, 2009)

Here's mine. Its a poem I wrote about her...just wanted to share it so people know what an effect those once in a lifetime horses mean to us.

You were always there for me
Between broken hearts and broken bones
Your beautiful, trusting eyes always saved me
And when I couldn't hold back the tears
Any longer
You where there, with a blonde mane perfect for soaking up tears

And when I needed an escape
from a reality filled with pain and hurt
all it took was one bareback gallop
through fields and woods
Things were better in my world

When you're body started to fail you
and those rides became harder
I could tell you were in pain
it killed me inside
but I had to help my angel

I gave you away
to a rider who was better for you
some one that would only ride you
once in a great while
and still be able to shower you with 
love and affection

My heart broke and this time
there was no blonde mane
to soak up my tears
Every breath hurt
People thought I was crazy
I heard
"she's only a horse"
over and over
but you were more than that

It took awhile
but I learned how
to breathe without you
my heart stopped hurting
the tears stopped falling
but I couldn't let you go

Then I saw you again
your golden coat had lost its glimmer
your blonde mane in knots and tangles
you were suffering and with one last look at me
the strong body I had always believed in
shook and fell to the ground
I felt your eyes on me
and I whispered to you
"You can let go now"


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## TheRoughrider21 (Aug 25, 2009)

I guess I'll say how I met my heart horse, my Reno Bandito.

She was a birthday present...on my 9th birthday if I'm correct. She was just sitting in the pasture for years, only being pulled out for an occasionly trail ride. She was 17 and the most gorgeous horse I had set eyes on. Even though she had bad conformation, I loved her. We went to the farm she was at because her owner was a friend of my trainers and we knew her through farming. I never even rode her. I put a halter and lead on her, tok her out of the pasture and let her hand graze while my mom and her owner talked things over. my trainer picked her up the next day. I took lessons on her and I felt safest on her. We spent summers barrel racing, pole bending, roping, cutting, trail riding, etc. winters were spent in the indoor arena just goofing around. We would set up funky patterns with cones and then ride them at different paces. First time I rode her(before we officaly bought her), my older friend threw cones at her while I was riding and nothing fazed her.

There was one time me and my friend were racing and Reno veered off towards the side. I lost my balance and kinda fell over her neck. She stopped so quickly and smoothly that I could regain myself. Then there were all the speed games we did. We did the ribbon race and she stayed in pace with a 4 year old horse. We took first place. We did rescue race and we won almost every time. My brother(who had never ridden in his life) could jump on her for a speed game and knew that she would take care of him. She could be way back in the pasture and I would just have to whistle and she'd come racing up. We went on many trails since the county land was right next to the place we were boarding and nothing fazed her. 

Then she became weak. She was 20 and her sway-back was affecting her. It hurt her for me to ride her, no matter the speed. I didn't want to sell her. But I needed a horse that could carry me and we couldn't afford to horses. So I sold her. It was the saddest day of my life.


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## Hrsegirl (Mar 16, 2010)

I have two horses that I've had that connection with. My first horse was a bay tobiano mare. She looked like an oreo cookie! Her name was Bueno Bid on Broadway (Barn name: Annie). Well my dad bought her from his uncle when she was about a year old. We had her since I was 6. She was used only as a brood mare, but she was my best friend, even as a youngster. Well my dad decided that he wanted to break her, but she just didn't want it. Well I told dad that I wanted to ride her, and so we saddled her up along with our old trail mare and me and dad went out in a field and I got on, (This was when I was about 10). Well she didn't buck me off like she usually bucked everyone else off and then I knew she loved me. Well last year, my mom and dad decided to move off the farm and into town so we had to sell her. Dad sold her back to his uncle and she continued as a brood mare for a short time. That following winter (this past winter) she got really sick and had to be put down. She had one last colt before she died. He's beautiful and her little twin. I want to buy him just because of who is mother is. I miss her so much! But then I decided I wanted to get another horse, and since I couldn't have her, I started to look around. Around here, we have this thing with the radio station called Tradio. Its where people can advertise stuff they want to sell. Well I heard an ad on there for 3 broke geldings. I called her up and went to look at them. Well she had already sold one and had two left. A big 1/2 Arabian gelding and a big paint. I absolutely fell in love with the paint and bought him that night and took him home. Well I got him home and he seemed to get along with my other gelding. At first he didn't really bond with me like I would have wanted, but then something started to change. He would follow me around like a little puppy dog in the paddock and let me do almost anything. Well since I've bought him, which was this past June, we sold my other gelding. Now he is all alone and has no herd. Yesterday I went up there and decided to go for a ride. I've never seen that horse so happy! He's usually really barn sour, so I decided to trick him and rode out of the yard through the pasture. We got out into a stubble field across the driveway and we took off and full gallop and he was so happy. He did a happy buck and just kept running. Well when we got back to the barn, I unsaddled him, brushed him and took him for a walk around the yard. Then I let him eat a little grass in the yard. There was an apple tree near by, but I didn't want him to walk on the grass near the house, so I threw his lead over his back and walked over to get an apple. Well then he came trotting up to me. Turns out he didn't like apples, but anyways, I just kept walking around the yard and he kept follow right at my shoulder. If you knew this horse, you would know why it was so good for him to do that. He never is usually that horse. He would rather run away and do a "haha can't catch me" moment. Well then I started running away from him and he came galloping behind me and past and started bucking and playing in the yard. Well then I took off the other way away from me and he came running for me, across the yard and down to the barn. It was my turn to chase him I guess. I love him so much! And yesterday, the lady I bought him from texted me and asked if I wanted to sell him! My thoughts on that are "if you keep asking for him back, why in the world did you sell him in the first place". He is my horse now and she lost out. He's amazing and I can't wait to continue or bonding. But when you find a horse that is that amazing, don't sell him. You'll regret it! All your stories are amazing and horses really are a persons best friend.


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