# Introduce your horse (with pictures!)



## Kalraii (Jul 28, 2015)

I see so many people on here and I am always clicking people's "barns" (which is still buggy for me haha). I'm always reading journals and trying to sneak-peak your equine babies. I thought maybe we could showcase our favourite pets, shares or leases. 

- Link picture
- A small description, things like age, breed, how you got them, how long you've had and any funny quirks.

<3


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## Kalraii (Jul 28, 2015)

I'll kick it off with an example tho many people already know of her haha...

This is Katie she's a recent 8yo Irish Draught X 17.1hh. My first horse since Jan. She's a forward, sensitive girl that loves dipping her hay in her drinker and assists me in kicking her shavings around her stall.


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## DreamerR (Dec 17, 2017)

This is Justice. He is a 7 year old Appaloosa gelding. We are in the process of buying him and he will be my first horse. He hates fillers in jumps and he gets spooky while I tack him up unless I play the song Freaky Friday by Lil Dicky and Chris Brown. If I leave my phone by his stall he drops it in his water bucket.


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## boots (Jan 16, 2012)

Here's my good old ranch horse, who doubles as a polo pony. He's 18 this year. 
Won Best Playing Pony in a game.


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## JoBlueQuarter (Jan 20, 2017)

Nice thread!


Meet Heidi. She is a coming 3-year-old APHA filly - registered name SLR Barlink on Haidas. She is very eager to please and loves to hang out and do stuff. Like all mares, though, she has her days 

























Now let me introduce you to Blue. Blue is about 17 years old, a bit moody, relatively stubborn, but I wouldn't trade her for anything. Or... at least not for most things. :lol: She is a QH mare, and loves to work cattle and boss her herd around.

























And last, is Paso. He is a 36 or sometin' year-old Paso Fino gelding. I learned to ride on him some time ago, but he's retired now. He's a hard-keeper, also rather mule-headed and a sweet old feller.










P.S. Sorry about the quality of the last one. I have an album with more pics.


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

This is my heart horse APHA Rodeo Time aka Rodeo. Ive owned him since he was 9mo old, he turned 8 this year. He is my go to horse for everything. My children have ridden him, mentally and physically disabled have ridden him, he's my trusty trail horse horse, arena horse, show horse, ect. Only thing is since Ive had him for so long hes not the most well behaved for people when Im not around thus besides myself and my kids, not many people ride/deal with him.
























And then of course we have my 4yr old daughter's horse Ace. 8yrs old, and other than being a beginner horse for people trail riding, we dont know much about him but he's been a great addition to the family, we've have him for a year and a half now! No good photos currently on my computer


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## redbadger (Nov 20, 2017)

This is my buddy Toby. He's in his teens-ish (I am not really sure how old precisely), and some variety of QH cross, possibly with some draft in there somewhere. His particular provenance is unknown, but he's a good sound horse. I wish we knew a little more about him (where did you learn to side-pass, handsome?) but I am content to learn who he is myself. He likes it when I sing to him.


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## ClearDonkey (Nov 27, 2016)

This is my 20 year old, Arabian x Rocky Mountain gelding, Toofine. He is a registered half Arabian, under the name Hes Ultimately Fine. I got him almost 11 years ago, as a green 9 year old, and trained him up myself. Now he is an amazing all around horse, and has competed in nearly every event other than cow work, and is able to be ridden tackless. A funny quirk he has is that he will "kiss" you at random times with his upper lip, as I used to think that was so funny to get him to do.


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## JoBlueQuarter (Jan 20, 2017)

csimkunas6 said:


> This is my heart horse APHA Rodeo Time aka Rodeo. Ive owned him since he was 9mo old, he turned 8 this year. He is my go to horse for everything. My children have ridden him, mentally and physically disabled have ridden him, he's my trusty trail horse horse, arena horse, show horse, ect. Only thing is since Ive had him for so long hes not the most well behaved for people when Im not around thus besides myself and my kids, not many people ride/deal with him.
> View attachment 961987
> 
> 
> ...


Rodeo's so gorgeous! I love how he's nearly Heidi's twin <3


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## Saoirse (Jun 17, 2018)

Well, I still don't know him enough (not even a little, cause he's not at home yet...) to describe him. 

We're gonna pick him up next week (saturday morning if everything's OK). He will be my first horse, and he's a hannoverian gelding of 16 years old.

He's a gift to me, a friend of my best friend has to sell their horses, but this one has a lesion (principle of osteoarthritis in one foot) and they didn't want to sell him to a stranger who didn't take good care of him, so they decided to give it to me, and I'm still thinking of some names for him, between four options... will describe him once we know echother in a better way 😍😍😍💙


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## Kalraii (Jul 28, 2015)

I love this so much keep it coming! See, we get to see all the amazing horsies that teach us so many valuable lessons in life. They are part of this community as much as us, without them I guess this place wouldn't even exist and none of us would have known we existed at all... ^,^ all gorgeous! <3


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## csimkunas6 (Apr 18, 2010)

JoBlueQuarter said:


> Rodeo's so gorgeous! I love how he's nearly Heidi's twin <3


Thank you! As is your Heidi! I love seeing and reading updates on you two! I def have a soft spot for her


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## JoBlueQuarter (Jan 20, 2017)

csimkunas6 said:


> Thank you! As is your Heidi! I love seeing and reading updates on you two! I def have a soft spot for her


Same applies to you two


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## JoBlueQuarter (Jan 20, 2017)

Saoirse said:


> Well, I still don't know him enough (not even a little, cause he's not at home yet...) to describe him.
> 
> We're gonna pick him up next week (saturday morning if everything's OK). He will be my first horse, and he's a hannoverian gelding of 16 years old.
> 
> He's a gift to me, a friend of my best friend has to sell their horses, but this one has a lesion (principle of osteoarthritis in one foot) and they didn't want to sell him to a stranger who didn't take good care of him, so they decided to give it to me, and I'm still thinking of some names for him, between four options... will describe him once we know echother in a better way 😍😍😍💙


Your horse-to-be is SO gorgeous!!! I *love *his colour!!


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## mmshiro (May 3, 2017)

This is Hamlet, hanging out with me in his new pasture. He's an 11 year-old Paint/QH/something-something. He is a former race track pacing pony who came to my former BO for rehoming, where my wife fell in love with him and rode him until he lost her in a fast 90º turn and she broke her shoulder. Now I ride him exclusively, at least for the foreseeable future.


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## waresbear (Jun 18, 2011)

This is one of my horses, I have 3. My friend just sent me this this pic from the show today, she takes better ones than me, lol.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

Laela is my love and quite obnoxious at times. She is Friesian/Saddlebred. I got her when she was a four year old and she is now eleven. I was going to show her a bit and then breed her but she had a pasture accident and everything got put one hold. The vet didn't think that she would come sound again but she did so I bred her and she had one foal. She is a very curious horse (nosy) and loves to be around people and go places. She's my trail horse now.








And then there is my wild child Star Horse, I purchased her when she was six years old for my nieces to ride with me. She is a neat little horse, very sensitive and a little bit of a worry wort. She's eleven now as well. I have no idea what her breeding is but through the grapevine, I was told that she is Morgan. I'm not sure if that is totally accurate.








And last but not least is Novia. She is Laela's filly that was born in 2016. Her sire is a Lusitano. She just turned two in May and this fall I am going to start working with her on the ground preparing her for saddle training which I will probably start in the fall of her third year. She a really sweet filly and like her mom, she really loves to hang out with people. She doesn't want to be left out of anything


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

This is TJ or Teej a 14 year old APHA gelding that was bred and raised here on our farm. He's pretty much my go to horse for riding. His quirks are he loves getting sprayed with the hose even in the face, he's scared of cows, and he hates riding in a horse trailer (he doesn't mind getting in and out of the trailer...well mostly, exception being right after he's had to ride in one LOL). Loves belly scratches and being groomed in general.


Adult and baby pictures.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Firstly, JoBlue, your pics didnt' come out for me, altho no one else mentioned this, so is it just me?? And Boots, is there something wrong with your Polo Pony, or does he come from the land downunder?? :razz:

Lots of gorgeous horses there - as I'm a sucker for colours, particularly smitten by Teej, JCnGrace.

Now, since you twisted my arm Kalraii, here are our closest few... and of course, I don't get tired of showing off my kids too!

Nook, my 'yella fella' is 19yo & I've had him since he was 4mo. Jake is the orange brumby pudding - got him about 5 years ago unstarted, and my daughter is practicing roman riding with him. Mo is the white pony I bought as a neglected, green 7yo who was terrified of kids, when my kids were little(he was dark grey then). Obviously he got over the kid thing!


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## ImFidget (Jun 18, 2018)

This is my new grullo yearling filly. She should be coming to me some time next week. Can't wait till she gets here. Still needs a name.


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## Saoirse (Jun 17, 2018)

JoBlueQuarter said:


> Saoirse said:
> 
> 
> > Well, I still don't know him enough (not even a little, cause he's not at home yet...) to describe him.
> ...



Heidi is stunning too!! I have always loved APHA and Appaloosas hahahaah maybe some day I will be able to have one (even if they're hard to find in Spain 😂😂😂).


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## elkdog (Nov 28, 2016)

This is the crew from left to right. Gracie (paint) LuLu (Fjord) Highlight (nobody knows) Witko (bay quarter horse) and his mom Dolly behind him (sorrel quarter horse)
Kind of an motley crew but when the saddles go on, these guys are true professionals.


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## Paintedponies1992 (Nov 17, 2013)

First is Wyatt, my grade paint gelding I bought when he was 4, he's 7 now, he was started when I got him and I've so far rode him on and off property trail riding. His quirk is that when we're getting ready to go out he'll do what I call, puppy wanting to go for a walk, routine until I'm up on him then he settles because we're going. Next is Madelyn, Maddie, my 4 year old Percheron, Quarter Horse, Canadian cross mare who's hopefully in foal to a registered Quarter horse stallion for next year. She's started saddle breaking this year. She's a big suck who snuggles her head into your chest sometimes. Lastly there's DF Genuine Silk, Chloe, 6 year old registered Quarter horse mare who's green broke and soon she'll be going out on trails once she's back from being bred to the same stallion as Maddie. She's super smart, but had the habit of crawling under fences if the wire wasn't all the way to the bottom and the electricity was off.


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## Tazzie (Nov 8, 2011)

So many gorgeous horses!!

First is my heart horse, Written In The Stars (Izzie). She is my heart horse, and I feel like I'm home when I get on her  I've owned her since she was a year old, and she turned 8 last month. I did all the breaking and training on it, and we've won a lot together as well as navigated some challenging trails! She's a Half Arabian 










































And then we just brought this guy home about two weeks ago  this is Arkynstone (Diego). He is a four year old purebred Arabian we bought for my husband. He has only shown Western Pleasure, but we are transitioning him to more of a sport horse. He will also be trail riding as that is what my husband wants to do


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## KorahAndBeau (Jun 15, 2018)

*Clydesdale/TB x*

This is Flirt! She is a Clydesdale TB x, she loves to jump and gallop around the pasture, she is around 6yo and a funny quirk of hers is that... um.... idk really... I know she likes food tho ahah, I actually don't own her. She is the horse I ride for lessons! 

Then theres Beau, he is a 2mo Paint, He is registered with APHA under the name Lost My Sock, he got his name because he has 3 white socks, he is Buckskin, though you cant really tell in the pictures, I don't know him enough bc he isn't coming home until August


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## QueenofFrance08 (May 16, 2017)

Get ready for a long one.

First is my main girl Stitch. She's a 6 year old "soon to be registered" APHA mare (we have her application that her former owners never sent in and I didn't bother until we realized we can easily win the registered paints in endurance category) My husband bought her (his first horse, a VERY green 5 year old who resembled a rodeo bronc) but I stole her this year. I wanted to go to a few novice/intro endurance type rides and the only calm horses we had ready were her and our 18 year old Arab. I planned on taking the Arab but his trot is too bumpy for my bad back so we switched and I wont give her back! She just finished her second 25 mile ride this weekend where only 9 out of 20 starts finished! (Chestnut mare with big blaze in the picture)

Second is Chico, the afore mentioned 18 year old Arab who just finished his first 25 mile LD ride with us this weekend! He's DH's main horse right now who can trot 12 mph. He's so calm we can put anyone on him including our 3 year old nephew. (Bay gelding DH is riding in the picture)

Third is Jake, my 8 year old full Arabian. He's registered but I can't seem to get in contact with his breeders (he was sold twice after them) to see if they'll transfer his papers to me. He came to us never having been ridden outside of indoor arenas and terrified of pretty much everything outside but is doing great on the trail now and is a total love bug. I'm planning on riding him in his first novice ride mid July.

Fourth is Daisy my grade MFT. She's only 4 and has only been under saddle since October (and off most of the winter due to living in Minnesota and not having an indoor) so she's still learning right now.

Fifth is Nacho our Florida Cracker. He was an auction rescue that we're trying to treat for ulcers right now because he acts up under saddle and it seems to be pain related. 

Finally we have 2 yearling AQHA boys Hector (AQHA What the Hector) and Rico (Aye Que Rico) who are mostly being babies and learning things like leading and standing tied and being good for the farrier right now. (sorry not pictured I have to get new pictures of them)


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## Tazzie (Nov 8, 2011)

Tazzie said:


> So many gorgeous horses!!
> 
> First is my heart horse, Written In The Stars (Izzie). She is my heart horse, and I feel like I'm home when I get on her  I've owned her since she was a year old, and she turned 8 last month. I did all the breaking and training on it, and we've won a lot together as well as navigated some challenging trails! She's a Half Arabian
> 
> ...


Ok, that's really weird that my pictures didn't post :/ I've put attachments here (and removed the picture links just in case they suddenly reappear).

The lighter one is Izzie, and the dark one is Diego 

As for quirks, Izzie likes to stick her tongue out at shows. No clue why lol and we don't know Diego well enough yet, though he thinks he's a giant labrador haha!


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

Blue is a grey 17 year old quarter horse. He rides English and western but prefers English or ranch horse style riding. We've been together 13 years.

Cloud is a 4 year old Buckskin NFQHA, FQHA, AQHA, ABHA. He will go English but is trained ranch horse... We've been together 3 and a half years.

Riley is an 11 year old bay AQHA. He'll go English or western but has navicular so is lightly ridden. We've been together 11 years.

Sierra is also 11. She a sorrel TWH and is kind and loving. We've been together 6 years.


Beauty is a 23 year old Bay AQHA mare. She is Riley's mother. She's wicked but super cute! We've been together 13 years.


Pistol is 34 years old. He is a Quarter Horse. We've been together for 31 years.


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## carshon (Apr 7, 2015)

This is Tillie Mae - a 15yr old TWH - I have owned her for 20 months. I never wanted a plain horse, never wanted a TWH with a narrow chest and never wanted a TWH with the "jug" head TWH are known for. BUT - she has stolen my heart and I love her to pieces. She has a quirky funny personality and has learned to stand still so this old fat woman with a bad back can drag her legs over her butt to get on. She is my trail partner and confidant and she makes me smile very morning when she greets me when I go out to feed.

And this is one of our other horses a 20yr old Appy mare my husband learned to ride on - she has been a confidence builder for him and is now a "guest horse" for friends to ride. She is Navicular so she mainly does flat trails and just a few miles.

This is Belle (Bl/Wht) a 14 yr old TWH - we purchased out of mercy, She had foundered badly in all 4's and the owner was not willing to take care of her anylonger. My husband has had her for 2yrs and loves her. She sat in a pasture for 8yrs not ridden and is now my hubbies main ride (after his Appy retired) and his partner of lessons. They have come so far and we could not love her anymore than we do! Best $500 we ever spent!

And the grey mare is my daughters 21yr old MFT - her first real "horse" after she moved up from a pony. Gracie is sassy and full of spunk just like my daughter. They have learned so much together. Gracie has a large melanoma on her eyelid that has been putting pressure on her eye - it will most likely be removed this fall (the eye) due to damage from the tumor. My daughter also leaves for college in Aug and that will mean Gracie will be semi-retired until daughter comes home on breaks.


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## smaile (Sep 21, 2010)

This is my first horse - Smaile. She is 18 years old and is registered as Latvian Warmblood but actually is almost pure TB x Trakhener cross. Smaile has a big personality and doesn`t really trust or even like people or horses she doesn`t know, but when she gets to know you, she is the most trustworthy horse there is and will do anything for you. She has competed in showjumping for couple of seasons when I first bought her, but mainly she has been used as a broodmare - she has 7 foals in total. 









Caldelero is one of Smaile`s foals. He is 5 years old and is also registered as a Latvian Warmblood, but his sire is Oldenburg x Hannoverian cross. He is extremely intelligent and a true escape artist - he can open any gate or latch and he also can open my tool box, where I keep treats. Other than that he is extremely friendly towards all people and LOVES attention. He is starting to compete in showjumping and so far he has been very impressive at them.









Arcaro is also son of Smaile. He is 4 years old, registered as LWB, but his sire is Holsteiner. He is quite nervous and gets spooked very easily, he also is scared of new people. Arcaro is so spooked from everything that he also hurts himself all the time and for example now he is recovering from a cracked splint bone. When he gets to know you, he is a real sweetheart though, and has a really kind heart, just like his sire. 









Abbie is the youngest and also the very last foal of Smaile. She was born on 5th May and her sire is a Oldenburg x Holsteiner x Hannoverian mix. At this point she seems to be Caldelero 2.0 - she likes to escape from the paddock and wander around alone, she is also very friendly and loves scratches and she learns new things really fast.


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## phantomhorse13 (Feb 18, 2011)

This is Phin, my 10yo Arab gelding:


















Phin is the definition of reactive and is unfortunately accident-prone. We have had 3 partial seasons together, giving him 490 competition miles. He is currently turned out due to an injury, so fingers and toes crossed he recovers and we can get back on trail next season.


This is Sultan, my DH's 19yo Arab gelding:


















Sultan has been competing for 10 seasons and has 2680 competition miles, including six 100 milers. 


This is George, my DH's 19yo Arab gelding:


















George has been competing for 8 seasons and has 1975 competition miles, including three 100 milers.


How lucky am I that my DH rides too?!



















In March, I had to say goodbye to my heart horse. Wirtual Dream was a 2000 model Arab mare who competed for 11 seasons, ending with 2200 competition miles, including three 100 milers, before having to be prematurely retired due to a trailer accident. She was top 10 in over 90% of her rides and had six Best Conditions.


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## LoriF (Apr 3, 2015)

I'll have to say that everyone's horses are gorgeous as the like button is no longer working for me


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## QueenofFrance08 (May 16, 2017)

phantomhorse13 said:


> How lucky am I that my DH rides too?!


I don't appreciate it as much as I should! When I asked for 2 entry forms this weekend they assumed I was riding a horse each day and when I told them I meant for my DH and I the ride manager looked at me and said, "Wow we never get that"


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Enjoying this thread, not just to gawk at all the pretty little horses, but it's nice to put some faces to names too!


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## Kumarmomma (Apr 15, 2017)

The paint is Jasper. He likes to grab back pockets and get a certain spot on his neck scratched forever. He is 4 years old and a giant baby. Everyone that knows him calls him a big puppy.

The grey we just got. His name is Tundra. He is a rescue, currently skinny and dirty and trying to make friends with his pasture mates. He likes food - any food. 

We also have a 30ish year old bay grade mare named Mariana, but I don't have any decent photos of her on my phone. She prefers horses to humans and her best friend is a the lookalike boss mare of her group.


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## SwissMiss (Aug 1, 2014)

My Peruvian mare Raya de Solana. When I was looking for my first horse I wanted an older, well trained, stocky gelding (preferably chestnut, as lots of Peruvians are), that enjoyed human contact... And brought home a green, lanky mare that was shaking like a leaf whenever a human came close 

3 years later she is still far from well trained, but she stopped being afraid of people (ok, most of them), enjoys a good grooming and hugs and takes great care of me on the trails.


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## cbar (Nov 27, 2015)

Love all the pictures!!! My like button isn't working either. 

First is Amber. She is my 4 year old Canadian Mare; I've had her since she was 2. She is full of surprises, but showing herself as a pretty good minded little horse. I hope to do trail riding and dressage with her. 

Second is Tiger. He is my 20 year old Standardbred. I've had him since he was 3 and retired from the track. He doesn't know it, but he is my heart horse. LOL

Third is Chevy. He is a 17 year old Standardbred. I've had him since he retired from racing at 7 years old. Didn't retire sound, so he is just a pasture puff and has earned his retirement.


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## SilverMaple (Jun 24, 2017)

Here's one of mine:

This is Duncan, a Paso Fino gelding. He's got some pretty major anxiety issues, but he's coming around and turning into a nice horse. He's a sweetie.


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## janea (Jun 11, 2018)

This is Savage. I've had him almost a year now. I've always wanted a horse as long as I can remember and my dream has come true at the age of 55!. Savage is a 9 year old Welsh Cobb. He has taught me how to be confident as I was quite a chicken when I first got on. He has quite the personality as well, very personable and loves attention. I love this horse!








This is my husbands horse Timber. Hi is now 21 years old. An Appendix we think. We've had him since is was 19 years old. He came from the state of Wyoming, traveled all the way to Iowa where we purchased him at a horse sale. He's a good boy standing at 16 hh.








Last but not least, our two mini's Tanner and Patrick <3 They are trained to pull a cart. Love these two. They'd walk right into the house if we let them.

Here's a pic of all four together last year.


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## weeedlady (Jul 19, 2014)

LoriF said:


> I'll have to say that everyone's horses are gorgeous as the like button is no longer working for me


^^^I can't "like" anything either!. but I like them all!


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## Kalraii (Jul 28, 2015)

Still loving it eek! And welcome to the forum @janea!


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## Kalraii (Jul 28, 2015)

I pressed send early woops... and I'm trying to resist the urge to edit (a never ending battle) lol. I really don't have enough words to explain how happy seeing everyone's babies here makes me without getting all Parmesan on you all. Honestly. I think I much prefer horses over real babies to look at.


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## edf (Dec 20, 2013)

Here is my first horse ( and only) Zoe. I got her from Omega Horse rescue. She is an arab ( don't know if full or partly) and she is 15.2 and 12-15 years old. Funny tidbit for the horse- she doesn't like things touching her chest. She is fine with grooming, but I use a neck rope at times for my security, and normally, I like just the flat rope and not the knot. Well, I had to learn to deal with the knot part being close to where I hold because she don't like it swinging or touching her chest. ( I am sure with time and work she'd be alright with it- she doesn' loose her mind over it just gets annoyed with it) Trying to dress her up for Halloween as a bumble bee, I was going to have a cute little frilly skirt run across her chest... nope. She'd pull it off and throw it on the ground every time ( she was fine with a headband on, fine with the wings and leg wraps... just not anything on her chest). Funny tidbit more about me- when i was going horse shopping, I was open to pretty much any breed- except an arabian. Now, I can't imagine owning a horse that isn't an arab!


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Love that last pic of yours especially Janea!


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

My two, Brooke (brown Morgan 14.2 and seven years old) and Pippa (bay tobiano pony of unknown parentage but looks like Welsh, 12.2 and 12 years old). Both of them were free horses, nobody wanted them! 

I got Brooke as an unbroken 4 year old, and we've had our growing pains, but she is my rock now. She hates the trailer and loves her ear rubs. On the trail we trust each other to get there and back again. 

Pippa is new to me and we are just learning about each other. At first she was very untrusting but she is coming around well. She doesn't know much, as she was a rather neglected pasture ornament all her life up til now. I have a pony harness though, and she is going to learn to be a cart pony. 

Brooke and Pippa love each other dearly. They crossed America together to come to me in New England.


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## Rainaisabelle (Jan 2, 2015)

In my first picture is my almost 14yr old TB Roy or Royboy as I call him! We have recently been taking dressage lessons and are hoping to go to our first dressage / hacking competition later this year!


The second photo is my 9 month old Friesian x TB x Paint Theo ! He is hopefully going to be my new dressage / eventing Horse who will take over from Roy once Roy retires in a couple of years. He’s going through his gawky stage at the moment haha!


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## Kalraii (Jul 28, 2015)

@Avna they are gorgeous. Do you just take Pippa like a dog on trails since she's so bound to Brooke? Anyone else reading this comment do this also? So cool!


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## JoBlueQuarter (Jan 20, 2017)

Kalraii said:


> @Avna they are gorgeous. Do you just take Pippa like a dog on trails since she's so bound to Brooke? Anyone else reading this comment do this also? So cool!


I do that with my horses. I'll ride Blue on the trail and Paso and Heidi will run alongside. Heidi can get a little rowdy though - she likes to get in front of us when we're loping and kick at Blue's shoulder. I'm always scared for my legs :lol:


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## Avna (Jul 11, 2015)

Kalraii said:


> @Avna they are gorgeous. Do you just take Pippa like a dog on trails since she's so bound to Brooke? Anyone else reading this comment do this also? So cool!


Yes, as long as we riding out from the barn and aren't crossing or riding on roads with vehicles, I do. She is always very good, except she refuses to be caught and put on a rope when she's out there.


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## CynthiaAborn (Dec 21, 2013)

First two pictures are of our stallion Beau (NV Beau Bey). We’ve had him since I was about six months old and he was four months. Mom saw his picture in the Arabian Horse World magazine and we flew from California to Florida to see him. We’re 25 now and he has been an amazing horse to grow up with. Fun quirks are that he will drink Pepsi out of the can. Then I have Jewel (TR Bejeweled). I got her out of an online auction, in fact is that she isn’t afraid of much of anything and will even walk right up to bears, not particularly fun lol. Next is my TB Chase (Your Bertrando). I found him as part of a group of five skinny tbs on Craigslist. Then I have Maddy (Madeleine Bey) who is sired by Beau. She is going to be a Dressage horse. And lastly is Zayn (AJS Johaan El Malik) who I actually won from an essay contest on Facebook. He is super calm and nothing fazes him, and he’s only a yearling.


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## JoBlueQuarter (Jan 20, 2017)

@CynthiaAborn - All your horses are gorgeous but I just have to comment on giving a horse called "AJS Johaan El Malik" the barn name Zayn!!


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

I'm enjoying this. I'll be back when I'm able to post pictures again.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

If I'm going places that are safe to do so, I often let the 'pony' go. Currently we live next to a state forest that's fenced, so sometimes all 3 'spares' just come for the walk. Often they disappear, lag behind or run ahead, but if they lag too far, you hear a thundering of hooves & they catch up. 

Only problem I've had is when on public trails, like the first pic, people offer help to catch the loose horse all the time & look confused when I say he's fine! Oh and once I met a ranger who told me to put the pony on lead because it was dangerous with him off... because people walk here & he might run up to someone who's frightened of horses & he might jump up on someone! :lol:


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

Everyone's horses are beautiful and I love looking at beautiful horseflesh!


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## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

Everyone’s horses are beautiful! This is an awesome thread.

Although we have a few horses, Bones is my main guy and my favorite horse ever. He has some odd quirks, which is the only reason I could afford such a well bred baby when I purchased him. Along with his oddities comes a super smart and kind horse with a massive sense of humor and athleticism. He loves nothing more than people, but working cows is a close second. He is five now and I hope I own him still when he’s 32.


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## knightrider (Jun 27, 2014)

Chorro Oscuro de Julio is my most loved heart horse. I bought him as an ungelded yearling in 2005. I've had him 13 years and he is 14. I trained him all myself and he has glass smooth gaits and a puppy dog personality. He loves everyone and everything. Don't expect him to take you back to the barn if you get lost--he won't--he likes going out riding. All the teens who come riding prefer him, so I don't get as many chances to ride him as I might like.

Next horse acquired is Isabel Memorable Paradise, but I call her Isabeau. She arrived in 2012 and is 12 years old. She has her own journal in the journal section because she has been so "interesting" to train. She types with a stick in her mouth and I take the laptop out to her paddock when she has something to say. Isabeau thinks her poop doesn't stink and she is "all that." Her attitude is annoying, but also makes her a blast and a half to ride. Oddly enough, she does best with beginners and timid riders, most likely because they let her do what she wants, and she doesn't tolerate being ordered around! She likes to take care of helpless things and babies.

Next is Winddancer Shadowfax, a Tennessee Walker that I got for my daughter to train when the filly was 4 months old, just weaned off her mother. My daughter has done a terrific job of training her, starting with halter breaking and leading, and now trail riding and getting her gait solid along with her lovely bounding canter. Windy does a little show of bucking, rearing, and bounding forward every once in a while, if we don't go home fast enough to suit her, but my daughter has learned to be quite brave on her, probably because she loves Windy so much.

We picked up Acicate de Gaytero just last February a year ago. He is 6 years old. My neighbor bought him because he was told how quiet and gentle Aci would be . . . and for the most part he is, until you asked him to do something he didn't want to do. He could really rear and buck. I saw his tremendous potential and bought him from my neighbor, thinking I could get him straightened out. It really wasn't nearly as much work as Isabeau, but in the beginning, Aci was right challenging. All that is behind us now, and he is a dream horse.


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Knave, some great pics there - love the one with (your partner?) in mid air off the back! But that last pic - what is that, a plastic cow on a string that your horse can play with in the paddock??

Knightrider, pretty horses too. But careful not to have the nosebands so low on the delicate part of their muzzle.


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## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

@loosie It is a mechanical cow. So, it is a training tool that you use riding to work on your cutting. I was just feeling crazy one day and decided to let him have a go on his own. He is super cool in that he loves his job, so he went right to working it. Like the barrel horses that will run the pattern without a rider, Bones would probably do most things without a rider. Lol. It was crazy though because we work the mechanical cow out in the open at another house, so he could have easily decided to take off home if he wanted.


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## Knave (Dec 16, 2015)

Oh, and that is my husband. Thank you, we were having so much fun goofing off in the yard that night.


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## Saoirse (Jun 17, 2018)

Got some fotos from my new and first horse ( @JoBlueQuarter)... I'm still trying to find a fittable name for him... Doubting between three options:

Rafiki (that means 'friend')
Eoghan (means "young warrior" in celtic)
Rohan (yup, like The Lord of the Rings films)

As I said, he's a chestnut hannoverian from Hannoveraner Verband stud. Went after him yesterday and now I finally have him at his new place. 

He is about 16.8hh ❤❤❤❤


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Our first since retiring to the Philippines. Skippy is 3 years old, 12.3hh, with a friendly and willing disposition. A bit too small for me, but seems to be a good fit for the goodwyfe.


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## gottatrot (Jan 9, 2011)

First I must mention the incomparable Valhalla, a super little horse who was brave, tricky, challenging and would work her heart out for me. After being my partner for about 9 years, I lost her this spring at age 22 to founder from Cushing's and IR. She was a bay Arab with no papers because I rescued her from a neglect/starvation situation. 

Next, Heroic, a ten year old OTTB that was given to me a couple months ago. He's been returned to a rescue several times, and I believe it is because he has locking stifles, which make him buck and kick quite a lot. We're working on rehab and I hope he will become a strong and happy horse. He seems to enjoy finally having his own person as a friend, and he's quite a talker. I'm used to having horses nicker at me when I bring food, but if I talk to him again, he keeps talking.

Finally, my beauty, Amore. She is a *Bask granddaughter, 27 years old, purebred Arab. Her imagination is boundless, and she can spot danger from unimaginable distances. Sharp as a tack, she's surefooted, can spin on a dime, gets into shape effortlessly, and can jump things you never would have thought a horse would consider jumping. Such as a bramble crossing the path. She's the best spooker I've met so far, and can make her head and neck disappear so you find yourself sitting on a saddle, with somehow no part of a horse in front of you. 

Amore retired from riding last year due to back arthritis, but remains an excellent vermin hunter and will drown rats in water buckets, and stomp on rats, snakes, cats and dogs. She is also a professional grazer, and will consume even pesky or undesirable plants that most horses overlook.


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## Saoirse (Jun 17, 2018)

DON'T KNOW WHY HADN'T BEEN POSTED THE PICS BEFORE, SO I'M GONNA GIVE IT A 2nd SHOT.... 

Got some photos from my new and first horse ( @JoBlueQuarter)... I'm still trying to find a fittable name for him... Doubting between three options:

Rafiki (that means 'friend')
Eoghan (means "young warrior" in celtic)
Rohan (yup, like The Lord of the Rings films)

As I said, he's a chestnut hannoverian from Hannoveraner Verband stud. Went after him yesterday and now I finally have him at his new place. 

He is about 16.8hh ❤❤❤❤

P.S: HE'S NAME WILL FINALLY BE "RAFIKI"😂


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## Fimargue (Jun 19, 2015)

Saoirse said:


> DON'T KNOW WHY HADN'T BEEN POSTED THE PICS BEFORE, SO I'M GONNA GIVE IT A 2nd SHOT....
> 
> Got some photos from my new and first horse ( @JoBlueQuarter)... I'm still trying to find a fittable name for him... Doubting between three options:
> 
> ...


He is very pretty! I saw him as Eoghan. Congrats on taking him home! I have that exact same head collar here at home, still new and unused because it's a full size and don't have a full size horse. 

That would be 16.3hh if he is 1m70. 17hh is 1m73.  

Horse Height HH (hands) And CM (centimetres) Conversion


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## Saoirse (Jun 17, 2018)

Fimargue said:


> Saoirse said:
> 
> 
> > DON'T KNOW WHY HADN'T BEEN POSTED THE PICS BEFORE, SO I'M GONNA GIVE IT A 2nd SHOT....
> ...



Wow thank you!! I find it kinda hard to get used to hh mesures hahahaha he's about 1.69-170 ❤🤩


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## Fimargue (Jun 19, 2015)

Saoirse said:


> Wow thank you!! I find it kinda hard to get used to hh mesures hahahaha he's about 1.69-170 ❤🤩


I know right, but it's very simple once you get the hang of it!


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## Horsequeen86 (Jun 24, 2018)

Hello, I'm new to the forum! I am a veterinary nurse in training and got my first horse last year. Her name is Navi. She is my sweet 18 y/o 31HH miniature mare. She was a former show horse and is now retired from all that. Her focus is to just be a horse, take it easy, keep to light exercise and maintain basic ground habits. It's my hope for her to be a therapy horse someday, but I'm not rushing her. Anyway, I hope I can rely on the forum for guidance as I have a few questions and concerns I'd like to sort through. She is currently boarded near my home and is forever my little firecracker 🙂


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

> He is about 16.8hh


A hand(hh) is 4 inches. Each point of a hand is 1", so you can only have like 16.3hh before 17hh - I'm guessing the horse isn't 18hh. ;-)


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## loosie (Jun 19, 2008)

Ah now I can see last page - something playing up on me. See the 16.8hh already addressed. See the pics too now. All horses gorgeous to see but OMG Horse queen, what a forelock! How pompomy & ciuuute!!


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## weeedlady (Jul 19, 2014)

Here are mine. Both are Tennessee Walking Horses.
Raven my black mare, Tucker my chestnut gelding.


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## Saoirse (Jun 17, 2018)

loosie said:


> A hand(hh) is 4 inches. Each point of a hand is 1", so you can only have like 16.3hh before 17hh - I'm guessing the horse isn't 18hh. <img style="max-width:100%;" src="http://www.horseforum.com/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Wink" class="inlineimg" />


I will have to study it more conciously, we are not taught in school about inches or hh... We just know that exist, cause we always use de cm, m or Km in Spain. The horse is arround 1m68 - 1m71 approximately... we need the tools to get to know his exact height, but given my height (1m74) and given the fact he's nearly as tall as me... Just a few cm under that...


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

OK: Horse history going back nearly four decades, so this is a "cup of tea or skip it" type post. 

Because I loved all of them.

This was my first horse, a French Trotter mare, born in Orne, Normandy:
















http://coulstock.id.au/photos/1983.jpg

And even though I'd journalled here for years, until this month I'd never told this part of the story. And now I have, initially just to friends, and because crap happens to loads of people I'm OK with posting this on the open forum now, and if any of you need a :hug: because it's reminding you of something sad, I have lots of them to give away to anyone who needs them. And I know lots of people need them, because of the way human beings can be.

So this is how it was: When I was 9 years old, my parents bought two horses - one of which they said they were buying specifically for me to ride - this huge chestnut French Trotter mare, well-trained in basic dressage and sold specifically as a child's riding horse because of her character, and the fact that she'd been so maternal to her foals, and to the owners' grandchildren. She and I got along famously, and she very much filled the emotional gap I had in my life from having a difficult relationship with my parents (the word _relationship_ is really a misnomer) - she had mothered all these foals, and she seemed to see that I was kind of orphaned, and she really, really adopted me. We were inseparable. When she figured out I had trouble reaching her back (16.2hh mare), she would lower her neck for me to hang across and then gently elevate it so I could slide on her back for riding bareback. I don't think anybody had trained her to do that, I think she just worked it out. And I could ride her anywhere, in groups or alone, and she'd take care of me. (There's more photos of us back in my journal.) She'd slow down to let me rebalance if she felt me going out of balance. And this wasn't a plodder type horse, this was a mare who had raced in her youth, and who loved nothing better than to stretch out her legs and do her unbelievable flying trot, that felt like floating on a hang-glider. She was adventurous and spirited and loved to go far and wide.

Alas, I had her for little over two years before my parents took her off me when we got to Australia, because they had suddenly got the notion that they wanted to breed racehorses. And here's what I didn't know, and only learnt much later, because I was test riding the horse in an indoors arena when my parents had this conversation with the previous owner: The reason she was being sold as a child's riding horse was that she had a difficult birth with the last foal and the supervising veterinarian strongly advised against breeding her again, as there was a high risk she would not survive. So it turns out my parents knew this, but they bred her anyway. She had another foal, and bled out immediately after the birth. Noone could save her. I watched her life drain away. She was just 15. ( I was 13 and had just returned from a school camp and missed the birth by half an hour but was present for her demise.) I really can't, to this day, understand how anyone could knowingly do something like that. Take a supposed gift horse off a child and tell her, "Well, you didn't pay for her, so she's not really yours." And breed her even though they knew the veterinary advice. Most unbelievably uncool. I ride her great-grandson now, but much as I love him, I wouldn't have traded that mare for anything. Or risked her life for what seems to me to be sheer vanity.









http://www.coulstock.id.au/photos/SET01_Sue_jumping_Dame_du_Buisson.jpg

I bought an Arabian yearling after selling a lot of my valuables and begging a chores mortgage for the rest, because I never wanted to have a horse taken off me again like that again. I wanted my name on that piece of paper. I trained this horse up completely on my own (my parents were busy with more important things and thought what I was doing was a mere hobby and unimportant). We started like this, because the only reason I could afford this horse was that she was so young and there was a severe drought that made her half-price:









http://www.coulstock.id.au/photos/snowstorm_06_sue_in_yard.jpg


Soon things looked better: 








http://www.coulstock.id.au/photos/SET01_Sue_Kargre_Tarti_Waroona.jpg

By age 4 I was training her in endurance, in our abundant state forests, as well as dressage, in the back paddock. She was only 14.2hh but Polish/Crabbet bred so coped fine with the fact that I grew out to 5'11". This is us just before our first short-course, junior endurance ride when I was 15:









http://www.coulstock.id.au/photos/snowstorm_07_sue_in_yard.jpg

She won her first-up ride and was best conditioned too. That's because we spent hours riding in the forests when I was a teenager, and because the horse, whom I affectionately referred to as Snowstorm, loved nothing more than running at her lovely floaty trot and soft canter for hours - and being allowed to race flat out up sand hills!

The next two are just after she set the club record for 25km at a ride in the Darling Range - she did it in 56 minutes, and we'd actually done 3km extra by taking a wrong turn! 









http://www.coulstock.id.au/photos/snowstorm_12_portrait_whole_looking_ahead.jpg










http://www.coulstock.id.au/photos/snowstorm_13_crazy_horizon.jpg

She was also excellent at gymkhana games:









http://www.coulstock.id.au/photos/snowstorm_15_sue_riding.jpg

This was here at age 27:










http://photography.coulstock.id.au/gallery/horses/photos/img_7581.jpg










http://photography.coulstock.id.au/gallery/horses/photos/img_8253.jpg

By this time, my husband and I had her agisted on the South Coast. Less than two years later, we were able to buy a farm here and build a house on it - out of straw - which is so apt if you already love horses - and when we were building, we had to keep the horses away from the house. Romeo (I'll introduce him later) ate part of our dining room once, when we were building!



More on that here if you're interested in the building method and more photos:

https://www.horseforum.com/member-j...ys-other-people-479466/page53/#post1970558119

The mare spent her last three years with us on our farm, free-ranging with her friends and getting lots of TLC, before passing on at age 32. By this time I'd trained up a replacement riding horse who was also her best buddy here - and I'll have to put him into a separate post so I don't break the forum or something with a super-long post... 

...and I've already had to economise on emoticons to be able to post this... sigh...


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

When my Arabian mare retired, I was heading for 40 and decided that my next horse had to be very solid and well balanced, and carry me effortlessly (80kg of gear and rider combined plus I'm very tall). I'd had a couple of falls with horses (I rode a number besides my own mare), and wanted the one to take me into middle age to be as fall-over-proof as possible, but still the sort of horse that could move - so no Clydesdale, much as I love Clydesdales! As most over 40 would understand, we no longer have illusions of immortality or invulnerability, and it suddenly became ultra important to be on a horse that wasn't accident-prone.

I'd been looking sideways at one for ages that I'd known since birth - _and_ he was a great-grandson of that French mare, Dame du Buisson, with whom I'd had to part company involuntarily. I thought he was just the ticket - marvellous work ethic, great endurance potential (I'd seen him effortlessly run lap after lap of sand tracks in harness training, like a Roman chariot horse, and after each lap go, "Another lap? Sure thing!"), very solid and muscular, and wide as a boat. And when he retired from harness pursuits, I put my hand up, and re-educated him to saddle. I remember the very first time I trotted him, around that very same sand track, deliberately shifting my position far right and far left till I was nearly hanging off him, to see how it affected his balance, and it didn't deter him one bit from travelling in a straight line, or affect his gait. Excellent! These days of course he would perceive even subtle shifts in weight as aids for moving differently, but at that early stage this had not been taught to him, so I could run that test.

Better still, he was equally happy to really run, or to drop back and relax. I liked that Zen-ness in him. He loved to work, but back then, the moment work was over he didn't want to know you. That's another story, but that was mainly due to the way he had been kept completely socially isolated from weaning (because a stallion), had no grazing and was a very frustrated horse. So he was gelded at age 11, and when I took him down to the South Coast I socialised him gradually with other horses, and showed him what pasture looked like, and did a dressage and trails program to keep him entertained. A decent life goes a long way to making a horse happy, and this one is now so laid-back and relaxed nobody would recognise him from his harness days - when he was wont to attack all human beings and other horses over the bars of his cage, and made a miserable face unless you were taking him out for work.

This was Sunsmart less than a year into his saddle re-education, and I was pretty happy with that, given how upside-down he had been as a harness horse (because he didn't want to pace, he's a trotter, so he got put into pacing hopples and had his head elevated, which did all sorts of things to the way he carried himself, but by the time this photo was taken he was looking so much better, and enjoying his new work).









http://photography.coulstock.id.au/g...s/img_3348.jpg

He was so relaxed, flying his tail like the French great-grandmama used to, and even flapping his bottom lip! He also does this when he wants more carrots, but it generally means he's happy to be doing what he's doing, or anticipating something good.

He much prefers riding to being asked to learn to pace.







He had about as much chance of pacing as my Arabian mare.









I like the way he has developed as a horse: Photo one from the day of the early beach ride above, photo two nowadays:









http://photography.coulstock.id.au/gallery/horses/photos/img_3295.jpg



If you're wondering why he's called Sunsmart, it's because from the time he was newborn, he would always find himself shade to rest in - and at the time, Australia had the "Slip-Slop-Slap - Be Sunsmart" campaign. I actually named him. Here is an early shot of us together:


French Revolution 14/11/1989 - 2/11/2017 by Brett and Sue Coulstock, on Flickr

He was such a funny-looking thing:



And he grew into such a lummox. This is him with his mother and uncle in 2015:



Here's a fun clip of Sunsmart discovering cattle at our place in 2010:






About to head on a trail:





As for breed, Sunsmart is by an American Standardbred stallion (and that breed is related to Morgans etc); out of a French Trotter cross (French Trotters were bred mainly from Thoroughbreds, Warmbloods, Carriage and Draught horses). Many people turn up their noses at "those horses" but it tells you more about those people than the horses! He's from a trotting line so not a pacer. I love his wonderful effortless ground-covering trot (and yes, he has a lovely soft canter too, and a mean gallop). I'd also ridden a horse in endurance in my 20s who was "ambidextrous" - could trot like that, or pace, as required.

More about French Trotters, STBs and crosses of these here:
https://www.horseforum.com/member-j...ys-other-people-479466/page52/#post1970555819


Our most recent arrival here is Classic Julian, an Albatross grandson like Sunsmart, whom we could offer a space after Sunsmart's mother died last year. Poor thing had been bored to death retired in a little sand run by himself, and had spent 15 or his 17 years solitary. He now lives in our herd, and this was the day he came:






All three in the clip are late-cut stallions, gelded after age 11, so they're a bit more dramatic than the average horse. Julian is loving it here - he's such a clever horse, and really enjoys exploring, and socialising, and discovering new things.

We also have Romeo, our equine Methuselah (and Julian's uncle - his full sister Classic Juliet produced Julian), whom I rode as a young person and who was an excellent jumper:



He's nearly 34 and has a free pass to our garden. He thinks it's a great place to camp out, and he knows exactly where we live. That French door is like his personal Weet-Bix dispensing hatch!

To complete the menagerie, we also have donkeys and a dog. Love the lot of them:



The Three Stooges? – Red Moon Sanctuary, Redmond, Western Australia by Brett and Sue Coulstock, on Flickr



Dog Entertainment I – Red Moon Sanctuary, Redmond, Western Australia by Brett and Sue Coulstock, on Flickr

Phew! Anyone still awake? :rofl:

Time to go riding!


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

Wonderful chronology SueC!


I didn't own most of the horses I've dealt with. But Here's some of the most memorable.


First is the horse I had as a kid. My Dad got her as a green broke 2 hear old off a truck from Texas for a couple hundred bucks. I took her to championships on the 4-H circuit. 


I didn't own any horses for many years after I left home. But always seemed to find opportunities to work with them. 
2nd pic is Chuckles, my primary mount as a cavalry trooper at Fort Hood Texas. Chuckles is the horse who did the somersault with me that I described in the falling off for nerds thread. That's us with the guidon.


No matter where I've gone, I seem to run into horses. 3rd pic is Kuwait in 1991. We found this critter roaming around one of the areas we occupied.


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## Cordillera Cowboy (Jun 6, 2014)

I didn't plan on owning any horses until we had our own place, but Coco the mustang was sort of dropped into my lap. Captured by the BLM as a 2 year old, she was over 20 when she was given to me. We had several good years together. Pic # 4 is us packing in to a hunting camp. # 5 is a packing demo at a historic site. 


After I retired Coco, the BO asked me to stay on and ride his green and problem horses. I did that for almost 10 years. # 6 is the last horse I rode for him before moving to the Philippines. Dusty wasn't green or a problem, but she was too hot for the recreational rider clientele at the barn. She was smooth, fast, and flashy. I called her my little sports car. The BO had dollar signs in his eyes every time he watched us ride. 


I suppose I come by it naturally. The last pic is my Dad with his pony circa early 1940's. My Grandpa kept a big herd of what he called "Indian ponies" Buying and selling up until I was a youngster.


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## SueC (Feb 22, 2014)

Fabulous photos and stories all round, @Cordillera Cowboy! Love the clothes too - not just the historical re-enactment ones. I'm a bit of a sucker for the times when people didn't go shopping in their tracksuits etc. And hats, these invite so many possibilities, like taking them off in greeting...


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## DanteDressageNerd (Mar 12, 2015)

I wish I could like posts but whatever mechanism is meant to allow me doesn't work. It looks like there are a lot of neat horses with interesting stories!! 

I currently own two horses but Wonder (my ottb) is the one I'm keeping and will hopefully be going to Denmark with me. He's my horse of a life time, I've waited my whole life for a horse like this. He can be VERY VERY hot like riding a saddle seat park horse saddlebred with the fireworks going off, he naturally carries a lot of tension (much better than it used to be), so getting to where we are now means the world to me. He's the horse most people thought I was CRAZY for buying because my other is so much "nicer" and "fancier" and perfect. But I love Wonder. For whatever reason we just click. He's VERY VERY hard to ride and very hard to organize but he's perfect for me. I love his trot, even when it bounces me out of the saddle posting and I want to throw up sitting his trot. But he is so much fun and so rewarding. We go hacking in fields and he trusts me, we play. He's so brave, we had a storm rolling in with wind and thunder and Wonder was totally unphased. He would love cross country as long as there were no jumps :lol: he hates jumping and I won't go cross country on a horse that finds ways to avoid jumps, rather than locking in. He's done polls and cavaletti, some small jumps every so often for months. I don't let him refuse but he still hates it and he LOVES dressage. 

He figured out the concept for spanish walk in about 15 min. He figured out shoulder in and haunches in in about 5 min each. He's a crazy smart horse and he LOVES the mental work. I do some natural horsemanship and in hand with him too because he craves the mental stimulation. I've never in my life met a horse quite like him and I've worked with hundreds of different horses of various breeds and quite a few ottbs. I've ridden 18+h wbs who don't have anywhere near the amount of power Wonder has. He's SO powerful, in the earlier stages we had a moment where he tried to run off with me, so I sat trot and from sitting trot literally grabbed hold of the bit and pulled me out of the saddle so he could bare down and run. We ran into the wall about 10x a ride for a while, had to teach him how to one rein stop. But he's a blast, he's so game and so there mentally. He's ALWAYS trying to figure out the next step and offers. He's the kind of horse where if you try to pressure or make him he puts up his middle hoof and does whatever he wants but if you ask in a way that makes sense he's like SURE how big do you want me to trot? How far do you want me to go? I'll be there! lol I'm in love.

We had to overcome a lot, TONS of ground and in hand work and a lot of going back to walk on a loose rein to bring him back into the right state of mind but it's been such a rewarding journey and I hope to continue with him in Denmark to the GP. He's the only horse I ever sat on and said this horse is going to do the GP, everyone thought I was nuts but not I think they see it. His eagerness to do and love of learning and his intensity is unbeatable. I think he will have an amazing piaffe when he's stronger, he does some half steps but I've never been so excited about a horse. LONG way to go but Wonder can do it. 

I've had quite a few friends ride him, including ones schooling the GP and for whatever reason they really struggle with him. The only people who seem to ride him well are my trainer and myself. It's pretty frustrating. But I get it, he's SO freaking powerful and SO SO freaking smart and fast thinking, you have to have excellent timing and if you're a little off he's not forgiving and you have to be SO SO strong and SO SO soft at the same time. The timing and organization is everything. But that's why I love him. Show him the way and he learns and retains it so fast. My trainer said teaching him the trick will be easy but getting the coordination and strength will be the hard part and we can advance him to keep him interested but have to keep taking him back to basics to get the fitness we need. He LOVES his job and you can feel it in him whenever you ask it's like an enthusiasm and he's so eager to try. I feel so blessed to have him. 

He is very tall, he's 172cm at the shoulder, barely under 17h like a 1/4in. He's very much so a one person only type of horse, he'll do anything for me but someone else asks and he's like I don't think so. I've seen a very accomplished rider get on him and couldn't even trot, it's like he says no and does whatever he wants and doesnt care what they do. He's like I'm 1320lbs I can do what I want. For my trainer or me he's fabulous. I don't get it but Wonder has a mind of his own and I respect that.

This video made me SO incredibly proud of him because 8wks ago there was NO way we could do long and low without me being bolted off with and an incredible amount of tension in him. And him now.













He does better spanish walk step when I'm no videoing


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## Woodhaven (Jan 21, 2014)

This is my mare Piper, 13 yrs, a solid colour paint mare, I have had her for about 4 or 5 years, she is an excellent trail horse, good alone or in company, trailers great, self loads, the most surefooted horse I have ever had.
She's great for taking green horses out on the trail as she is so steady, even paces herself for the pony when she really does like to move on.


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## ManicMinii (Jun 28, 2016)

Cam is a 12 year old grulla mare that was sold as a Standardbred but I have no proof of that. She was owned by my ex for two years and following our breakup asked me to take her as he felt he couldn’t care for her. I didn’t really like her the two years my ex had her as she was a spoiled monster of a horse. 

Fast forward nearly a year and I have fallen head over heels for her. She takes great care of me and despite spooking at horse eating rabbits and finches, she’s been a blessing. She always tries whatever I ask of her and is a solid trail/adventure horse. Cam finally feels like MY horse and I can’t imagine being without her.


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