I love my little pony (i do)

togster

Hello everyone!!

Having recently seen my horse stuck with many needles lately by a vet, i thought i'd have a go at a thread :rolleyes:

My horse was slightly off and i took him to a vet at a vet clinic.
The vet flex ion tested him and he was very off. Next they did a serious of 4 nerve blocks. They blocked his fetlock first and on the next set of flexion tests, he was better but not sound, so they then nerve blocked him again, and again, and again. My horse who once loved people came home from that clinic tired, depressed and broken. They did x-rays on his fetlock and they finally found his fetlock was mildly inflamed. He'll be grand but man....

So i wanted to start a serious thread for everyone to come together and say why it is you love doing what you are doing whether with your first poney, or your 200th horse!

Why do you do what ever it is you do? Tell us about your passion for horses. Why you love it!

For me it's about seeing what a horse can do if it's kept happy, motivated and fit. They are magic animals.

I love educating horses and learning new things from people and experience. How to spot a horse that might pass a vet test but isn't all that comfortable on his toes but could be if he did a bit of hard work

I love the game and horsey people. You can't beat having the craic with some mental people!! But great all the same.

I like the way that a horses breath fills a freezing cold winters morning!.and love a horse that loves to hunt like really love it. (please no mention of the H word)

I love long summer evenings messing around with them in someway and i really love a horse that thinks everything is just a stroll around the field. I love sitting with horses and just watching them. I love trying to figure them out :rolleyes:

So why do you do it?! Is it for the cash :rolleyes: or what like?:P

eddie12

I suppose it’s in the blood with me and I just couldn’t escape.
One of my grandfathers worked for the ESB when they were delivering electricity to rural areas. His horses pulled the cables on big rollers. He was still buying cobs off dealers into his eighties. He used to break them and sell them on as hunters or driving horses.
My other grandfather worked on the forestry with teams of horses. He loved hunting and told me of the days he used to hack to the train station, get the train to the nearest station to whatever hunt was on and hack the rest of the way. Five of my uncles breed and race thoroughbreds in a small way. My father also has thoroughbreds. He has bred and raced a few good mares and many, many bad ones in the hope of ending up with good broodmares. We always sell the colts.
I bought my first pony (Lilly) with my first Holy Communion money. Got a nice half bred (Bill) after that. Then, I discovered girls, went to college, moved to Dublin and lost interest for a few years.
I was home one weekend when the hunt was knocking about our area. I met some of the lads for a pint afterwards and they persuaded me to come on a charity ride with them the following week. I was lent a big solid Irish draught (Tom) who I bought the following day. I realised what I was missing... crossing country on an eager, willing and happy horse.
A few of the things I love about horses and being around them are:
...horses who want to jump, skipping and hopping on the spot waiting for their turn.
...the cold winter mornings when you can see the horses breath and the mist (for lack of a better word) rising from them after a gallop.
...dragging buckets of nuts through poached fields in bad weather feeding youngsters and then seeing them looking their best in the parade ring years later when they are racing.
...The sound of a mare whickering to her new born foal and the foal knowing exactly where to go for her first drink.
...Turning an old horse out into a new field and seeing her gallop around like a three year old again
...seeing a horse you bred and brought up winning a small handicap hurdle off bottom weight and being as happy as the owners of the derby or gold cup winnner.

All sentimental and silly stuff really but that’s horses for you, very few of us are in it for the money. There are two kinds of people involved with horses... those with loads of money and a few horses and those who just spend all their money on horses.
Unfortunately; I'm in the latter group

fits

Good thread

Ditto the steam on a misty winters morning.

I also belong in the latter group eddie12.

I have a little mare for 16 years now and we know each other inside out. She loves to hunt and she's a wily little thing I just like hanging out with her She's getting on now but I really hope she can take me hunting a few more times. I love tacking her up and hacking her out as I know all her little foibles and she mine. I grew up with her.

I also have an ottb who is so intelligent and trainable and has come on so much in the short time I have him. He has buckets of personality and just a lovely character to be around. He is also very very beautiful and I love riding him out. I dont know, I just feel content when I'm riding and doing the little chores around keeping a horse.

I hope to have lots of those misty winter morning moments in the coming year.

Ave Sodalis

Thanks for the thread. I like it. It'll be interesting.

I'm also in the latter group, and have no money at all. Don't even own a horse but go to two different stables, one private, one public. So obviously not in it for the cash. Ha ha.

Reasons:
Adrenaline mostly. The rush you feel when your horse is galloping underneath you or when you get up on a horse you have never seen before and don't know what it's like yet.

The feeling of flight momentarily when jumping, or partnership in dressage.

Also watching them grow and develop, learning new tricks. The pride you feel when you taught that trick yourself or the happiness if someone else taught them the trick. The feeling of learning a new trick yourself.

The bond you have with some, where if you lean against the stable door the horse (or in my case foal) comes over and rests his head on you shoulder.

The relief when you buy a horse never handled and the first time it comes to you. And the first time you catch it.

The swell of wonder when you see a horse rear, no matter how many times you have seen it before.

The relaxing atmosphere of the stables. I love the smell, even though a lot of people don't. It's familiar, i guess and i associate it with the release a horse gives me from the worries of the outside world.

The friendships made with people you've never seen before, and the little impact age has on those friendships.

Thats all I can think of for now. In all there is never one thing you like most about horses. They are just perfect and give you a rush of emotions even the worst of them.

byhookorbycrook

Hacking out shortly after dawn on a summer morning, only the sound of birds and of hooves and the horse pricking ears and enjoying the world outside the yard, the horse whickering when you walk towards the stable, the smell of a warm horse after cross country..

otwb

What I like about horses...

Hacking out in Autumn when the trees are gone red and the sun is going down, in winter when there is frost on the ground, in spring when the fields are turning green and summer evenings when its just great to be alive.

Having a horse for years so you know whats going to happen even though that could include jogging home or trying to buck you off if he gets too happy. Riding a new, young, horse where every day brings new experiences and everything done well is an achievement.

Just relaxing and forgetting about offices and the city while breathing in fresh air. Heading for a dry stone wall and knowing that you will get to the other side. Going through a river when the horse stops and paws with his front foot soaking you in the process.

Arriving at the yard clean and with a mud covered horse - leaving the yard covered in mud with a sparkling clean horse. Muscle pain the day after you haven't ridden in a while...

..I can keep going on but you get the general idea ... i love my little pony too...

Wicked

what i love about horses..

they whinny when you go into the stable, their smell, when they stand contented for hours while you brush and groom them, when they rest their head on your shoulder, their smell. When your hacking out and their ears are pricked and there having fun, when they get out in the paddock and roll and buck and fart! when you call them at the gate and they trot up to you, their smell. When you've had a **** day, your tired, worn out, you go outside and you tack up and it all goes away, its quiet and peaceful, the sound of their hooves on the road, when training a young horse and they progress so much, building trust and learning. learning what you've thought them. when they see something funny that they might not like but still they trust you and move forward. they trust you, their smell. when they stick their heads in water and soak you, when they lie in the field and let you walk up to them, the sound of a foal calling its mother, when their funny. their smell.

convert

I love the comradery that exists between horse and rider and the complete trust that each has in the other...

The 'hello' call when they hear you close the door of the house or the car... The demanding 'I want food' whinny when you aren't getting their lunch/dinner quick enough... The 'hurry up and stop taking so long to get the tack' whinny...

The attentive and excited way in which they watch the hounds working out hunting...

Riding out on frosty mornings watching our breath in the cold air... and then watching the steam rise after the morning's work out

Riding out early on spring/summer mornings when the mist hasn't quite lifted yet, the sun is only starting to shine through the trees, the stillness and quietness which allow you can hear nothing but both horse and rider's breathing and the horse's hoofbeats on the ground...

The togetherness you both feel when racing... the excitement, the tension, the concentration and the unwaivering trust between horse and rider ... and the exhileration, strength and power felt when outjumping the horses beside you - the best feeling in the world - absolutely nothing better....

Borderfox

I love the social element of ownership but mostly love the different characters of the Horses, even my guy "Spirit" changes from moment to moment and I really enjoy his fizzy side.

Whether its out loose/racing/polo/showjumping/cross-country/hunting/polo-crosse/jumpcrosse or whatever I am working at the stars are the Horses.

SmellySockies

You know when ou first go into your horse on a winter morning and you peel back its rug to tack them up and if you just feel their body the warmness off it is so nice and I love the steam thing too.
When I go up a steep hill in cross country with a horse and you just let the horse do everything the feeling of putting all your trust in our horse.
Walking back to the stable with my horse along side not needing to be lead as he knows exactly where he is going and what comes next (food!)
The adreneline rush galloping and jumping over fences.
Those hot summer days where I walk with my horse through a forest completely shaded.
When you go into the horses stall and you can see they are happy to see you as they come straight up to you looking for attention.
When you are standing with your horse and he puts his head back to you because he wants his face rubbed.
I just love anything horse related!

Censorsh!t

Oh wow...I've had my pony, Millie for about 7 or 8 years now, and have been horseriding for about 11 or 12 years.

I love horses, because for a start, I love animals, and horseriding is one way of getting close to an animal, and a beautiful animal at that.

I love how they looks so graceful no matter what, I love the adrenaline of watching a horse who is high spirited.

I love the thrill of riding, the fear before you jump a large jump or do a course, and the way you want to do it 20 more times afterwards! The way you seem to outdo your expectations, and not fall off!

When they put their nose up to your face and search your pockets for food.

The smell of coarse mix....yuuuuummm.

The joy of riding out with a friend, bringing the horses to somewhere new, and just having a good time.

When your horse decides they don't want to be caught today, and run about bucking with the joy of escape and swinging their head about....ok it's frustrating too!

Seeing my pony get through some bad leg injuries, made our bond closer. Through hard times like that, made me realise how much she means to me.

For me, it's not about the competition, just about having a good time and taking care of her.

AvAv

Its great to see the love people have for horses.

For me, its definitly out cross-country with two of my friends, weve gotten so much closer since we started riding together.

Its about seeing a new jump out on a ride and knowing that your horse will jump it for you.

Helping kids at pony camps and seeing their excitement at something new that the ponies do that they've never seen a pony do before.

Or just mad flat out racing with your friends because your insturctor thinks your able to stop :P