Horsepower

First topic message reminder :

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!

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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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aww cute pics.

I am way safer on my big lad than on my little one. He does things slower and is way calmer! lol

terry lees wrote: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!

Depends on the horse! Our horse is probably worth in the region of £20-£30k and there are good horses going for 6 figures. We paid a lot less than that for him but you're right, the ongoing costs do mount up (vets, shoeing, livery, diesel, entry fees, tack, rugs and so on). We're not loaded at all, we just make choices about where the 'disposable' income goes. It's a close run thing between the horse and the kids!

My daughter & her steed, last weekend at cross country... And she's very nearly 21, how old do I feel!

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Nice one Ellie!

Here's our horse last weekend, at Weston Park International Horse Trials. He came 7th in a class that included Olympic medal winning riders from London 2012!

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Up 2 You by weasley_one, on Flickr

Wow

Is that safe??? All the horses seem to be doing wheelies or jumping...!

kind of horse related but kind of not...if anyone gets the chance to go and see "The War Horse" at the New London Theatre then its a brilliant show to see and well worth the money...well, i thought it was anyway...

Well that's a bummer.  Just got a call that our horse died this morning.  He was only 13 years old, in his prime and was due to go to Bramham Horse Trials this week to compete against the world's best riders and horses.

It looks like he had a massive haemorrhage whilst cantering around the field, turned out.  It will have been quick and he was having fun when it happened.  He would have got to the top of the sport, given time.

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Sorry to hear that Paul.

Yes im sorry too mate, shame.

Very sad, sorry to hear that Paul. X

That's really tragic Paul. My condolences.

Bob