Horsepower

Since there have been a few members discussing their equine connections, I thought I'd start a general chat thread for the horsists amongst us (or even non-horsists who have a view on it).

I have been riding for nearly 30 years, first at a riding school, then I had my own pony, then another, then I went to uni and had no time for it. After finishing uni my mum had got back into horses and bought a thoroughbred mare. Through her I got back to riding and eventually got involved in the Cotswold Riding Club. I didn't have my own horse but rode someone else's for them, with the highest achievement being winning the National Riding Club Equitation Showjumping Championship.

My mum's mare then got old and navicular took its toll so she put her to stud, to a full Irish Draught stallion. From that we got a very cheeky little foal who I met when he was 3 days old. I eventually ended up backing him before work and family got in the way and this horse was sent to a professional rider to do eventing. This rider, Spencer Sturmey, took him to CIC 3* before being badly injured and retiring - the horse then went to another pro, Tristram Owers, who took him all the way to Blenheim Horse Trials (where sadly he fell on the x-country a few from home). This horse, now 17 years old, has had to retire this year due to ongoing injury problems with a front leg tendon but he's had a long and eventful life.

In the mean time my wife and I had picked up a half-share in an Irish thoroughbred. The other half-owner then bailed out, leaving us as full owners. We had him with Tristram for a while then, when Spencer recovered, took him back to him, who he is now with. He has competed up to CCI 2* and was, in fact, on the TV just a few nights ago during coverage of this year's Weston Park Horse Trials.

Here's our current horse:

At this year's Chatsworth Horse Trials
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At this year's Haras du Pin competition (France)
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Over the last 13 or 14 years, what with mum's horse, our one plus a few we have bought and sold in between, we have been all over the UK and into France, Germany and the Netherlands doing national and international events. I have been owner and groom but sadly never had time to do the riding at this level (much as I'd like to). I also currently own a Leyland DAF HGV horse lorry and have a provisional HGV licence (not yet done the practical test).

Oh, I take the photos too - another hobby, perhaps for another thread!

wow theyre great pics. My mum was riding her pony the week i was born so i know nothing else!

I used to compete seriously but had a break from it all recently. I have passed my BHS exams and also doing a diploma in equine psychology, my aim is to work with horses when i can afford a change of job. Possibly run the small yard i am on.

heres one of me on mums pony Dolly (registered Fell mare)
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Mum with her
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Woody ( my Hackney x welsh C) had him 19 yr and one month
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And Leo (3/4 Cleveland Bay x Hanovarian)

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My friend David pointing and steering lol
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I got so many photos its untrue

lol i wont bore you all

weasley wrote:
Oh, I take the photos too - another hobby, perhaps for another thread!

FFs delete that bit before Rosco see's it.....he's bad enough on rideouts!!

Lovely!

I had a 16h 2 TB x Shire when I was a teenager who I bought from the Master of the Hounds stable, but since getting married etc Ive been chief box tower-groom-bank account for various ponies and horses for my oldest daughter who is now 20 and fully qualified herself. Shes been riding since I put her in the saddle at 4 lol. Pushy mummy hee hee.

My Horse 'Brownlow'

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Laurens first horse, Appaloosa x TB 'Midnight'

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Next horse 'Arizona'

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Current 'Cash Cow' 'Archie' by Primitive Rising.

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My youngest who's not so bothered!

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My two beautiful girlies with their feet firmly on the ground

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I have an abundance of 'Penelope Barlow' pics too Emm lol.

Beautiful pics.

Learned to ride at the tender age of 35 to take part in the local "ride-outs" they have in this part of the world at Common Riding (last Friday in July).
Can't say I was ever any good, only just about learned enough to last a few hours in the saddle for the day's festivities.
Great fun though and if I ever had spare money it's something i would definitely get involved in.
Partner, Karen did a fair bit of horseriding with one of the Cumbrian hunts when she was younger.

Weasley, i just realised i have sky plus the weston trials so will look out for the horse.

Great pics ellie. I even hav black and white ones!

I have to say I'd never really "got" horses until a few years ago when I was up on the Lambourn Downs on my mountain bike I just happened to be riding alongside one of the many gallops up there when four or five racehorses came past. The way they were moving with such a graceful flowing motion was completely spellbinding.

Wowey wrote:Weasley, i just realised i have sky plus the weston trials so will look out for the horse.

It was in two parts - our horse is in the second part; his name is "Up 2 You" (although the commentators mistakedly say he is "Another Red One", who our rider also rides). The rider gets interviewed after his round. I think you'll agree he goes through the water as good as any of the others, if not better...! Unfortunately he had a cricket score in the SJ so didn't get anywhere in the places.

Oh, and I have literally thousands of pictures of various horses on my PC!

Oooo pic fest

So terribly sad about your horses Fi, I cant imagine what an awful decision that must have been.

Awesome pics, I respect cross country eventers so much because them jumps take no prisoners!

Im sure you made the right decision. I lost two of our ponies the same yr everything happened in my SAD thread. I had one since i was ten. I think it helped tip me over the edge but i know we made the right choice. Animals are lucky we have the power to end their pain in an instant.

I love cross country its my fave. Probably one day it will scare the sh** out of me but not yet! Just been round escrick park last month - fantastic.

I had a look at 'Up to you' very nice job!

Thanks Wowey. He's a talented horse but gets a bit stressed in the head sometimes, which can lead to tension and inevitable fences down or poor dressage marks. When he's relaxed and in the zone, he's a machine.

My missus is a horsey person, she went to an Equine College, Hartbury or something similar but never went in to anything like that as a job.

She's currently looking after an ex-race horse, I have no idea if it was any good but here's a picture of it.

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Crouch End Flyer, she's a really lovley horse, I go along sometimes with the dogs as they can have a run in the fields or if Cheryl needs a hand taking food out or whatever and the horse whinney and neighs excitedly when she see Cheryl whether it's feeding time or not.

She goes over to Cheryl and rests her head on Cheryl's shoulder and nuzzles up making noises. Never thought of horses being like that.

I'm not a horsey person myselfbut Cheryl said if we won the lottery she'd like to get me a big horse as they are not as jumpy and easier to read if they get spooked. Bit like a Harley I recon.

We saw a horse at a show at Bowood House in Wiltshire this year and this bloody massive horse came out from behind a truck in this pen and ran towards the single, thin chain fence and stopped right at the chain, I nearly pooh'd myself. I have never seen a horse this big, Wadworth brewery uses shire horses to pull a cart with the beer barrels around Devizes for deliveries and this thig was much biger, she said "That's the kind of horse you'd be good on"



"Not a F***ing chance" I think was my reply

my horse is MASSIVE

he is over grown for his breeding (shame)

everyone says oh ye i used to have one 17.2hh and i'm like yeah but this boy is BIG and they say yeah mine was and then they see him in flesh and go S**t he is big isnt he! he has massive dimensions, not just tall. Its a hindrence most times but he's great

im getting him back off loan next Thurs :-)

i had him from 9 months til 3 yr old and mistakedly sold him

one of the owner evented and he had an op to open up his airwaves to give him more stamina but he's too big for anything above fun really. Since i bought him back 6 yrs ago he's had an easy time, but fun and has worked as hard as he can cope with. its been more than enough for me. Locally we got Ridden Hunter champion of 2007 and i was so chuffed i could have cried. in fact i probably did

well - sorry to ressurect this but Leo's home.

He travelled really well and is settled in the paddocks with the other two!

Here's some pics of the big lad. The wagon he came home in, his new stable and him playing out with his family. I have a long way to go to get him back to how he was 2 yr ago but im sure he'll do ok.


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You must have plenty of spodoolies you lot, I was always told that the cheapest thing about owning a horse was the buying of it!

Constant money drain are horses!!

My daughter funds hers entirely herself by working hard and helping out at the yard he's at.

well keeping just one per week on DIY is still cheaper than smoking.

i am very lucky, ive always found a cheap yard, and being up north helps the costs but its like any hobbie - it can cost you as much as you want it to. My ex spent way more on fishing than i did on my pony.

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This is my baby pony, 19 months old and my best friend, he is the latest addition to my family. Not as stunning and not half as big as some of the horses you lot have but hey ho I'm getting too old to worry about falling off a great height

Anyway I do ride one of his stable buddies which is a 17.1hh big black german horse - he satisfies my addiction fix of schooling etc so I'm happy

This pic is of one of my old horses - chestnut mare ex racehorse . . . . mid life crisis???? . . . definately she had to go!!

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