Real life horses & ponies - do you love them too?

[glitterball]

I started horse-riding at age 6, so have always loved ponies in real-life. Due to moving schools (and the soaring expense) I stopped riding regularly, but would hop on my friend's horse every so often and have a bit of fun (although it would be based in their field and never off-track, as I used to do).  When she sold her, I stopped riding completely; maybe one day I will get the chance to ride again!

I have been spending a fair amount of time being fascinated by "horse whispering" and realising that, as a confident young kid all those years ago, I actually knew NOTHING about horses except that you pulled the reins a certain way and gave a squeeze of the thighs to get the horse to do something! 

Oh, to know then of what I am aware of now, about the techniques using your body language, your eyes etc to communicate both respect and authority and to get the horse to CHOOSE to do the things you actually want them to do. Nope, I have never "horse whispered" nor used a lunge rope or round-pens to break a horse in etc. (that was a job for other folks at the stables, we just tacked-up and rode) but I have been addicted to you-tube recently, watching this Australian guy, Clinton Anderson, now based in Texas, who does something called "Down Under Horsemanship". It's amazing how he does it and it makes so much sense!

I think back to the time when we were wary of certain horses who were considered "aggressive" and recall one of the senior stable folks flying at one tethered, "naughty" horse with her riding crop, making the horse rear-up and screech - as a kid it was horrible to see (I never liked that woman after that) - then looking the horsemanship videos I can see how, with a little patience, just doing a few exercises with that horse could have helped channel away the "aggression".

Well, one day I might hop back in the saddle again, I still smile when I can smell horses, even their poo never bothered me! 

So, do you like real-life ponies too?

[Tracks]

Oh yes

I'm passionate about horses, always have been since as long as I can remember.  Never been in a position to have my own horse but I'm hoping that might change in time

I can't walk past a field of horses without stopping to stroke them and I always like to give the local force's police horses a fuss and a mint (With permission from the officers of course) whenever we see them

[little.fox]

I Absolutely love horses and ponies, and I used to ride for years. I’m fascinated by the more down to earth, “horse-whisperer”-techniques. It feels like a world away from what we were taught at riding school. I’d love to go back to riding if I could practice that kind of horsemanship.

[Ragamuffin]

Yes!!! I especially love Shetland ponies, so cute!!

I also used to ride English horseback as a kid, but had to stop when we moved...

[Nemesis]

I adore them! I’ve ridden (English style) off and on over the years, though I’m not terribly experienced at it. My teachers always (jokingly) said I was kind of a pushover in the saddle, and the horses would take complete advantage and run amok, haha. Horses are surprisingly good at reading people, lol.

But I’ve always thought of horses/ponies as some of the most beautiful things on Earth. I learned to draw horses before anything else, and that’s still the only area of drawing I have much confidence in. I used to read horse books by the dozen when I was 8-13. I have a small collection of Breyers... I guess I’m a general “horse enthusiast”, though my tastes do lean towards fantasy pretty heavily. X3

[Aflame]

yep love horses and riding

[EnaRocketQueen]

I went riding when I was 8 to when I was 16. It's something I've always wanted to get back into

[tailrustedtealeaf]

I've never ridden but they're basically the only thing I draw. They're lovely to look at!

[Leave a Whisper]

Of course. I've been horse crazy as long as I can remember. I rode a few years though I wasn't very good at it, I've collected model horses for ages. Horse calenders, books, pictures and shirts, tuning into races, jumping and mustang makeovers. Watching music videos with horses, customizing and photographing my models.

Hope that answers your question.

[achab1984]

I LOVE HORSES!!!! There is no ifs ands or buts about it! My mom said that I have loved them as soon as I could grab things! That is what I wanted as a child and teen growing up!

I did a lot of riding with my childhood friend and her mom growing up!

I have never had my own horse and don't think I ever will. Unless I have the funds down the road. As of right now I don't! But I live in the country and enjoy my neighbors horses. We do go out to the hills time to time and ride horses.

I have been a model horse collector my whole life! <3

[Mewtwofan1]

     I’ve loved horses for a good chunk of my life. I actually took up riding lessons for a year, but found I wasn’t quite cut out for it then. Not the best at riding, but I found simply taking care of the horse a bit more my speed.  If I could, I would gladly have many equine companions. My friend and I often joke about getting a little farm and having a zoo, and horses are something I’ve managed to convince her to let us have.
      I wouldn’t want to ride competitively, but I would like to get back into horse riding again. I’m not a fan of physical exercise, but horse riding was something I liked.

[BubbleTea]

Yes!!!!!! I've been horse-obsessed for as long as I can remember. My parents told me that I first showed signs of horse craziness at the age of 2. To this day that horse craziness still lives on and will until I die.

[glitterball]

It's great and interesting to hear all your horsey-experiences! 

Ah, yes, drawing them too - I remember I would constantly be sketching them.

Two girls in my class were lucky enough to each own a pony (I never rode those particular ones, though), we were in the little group that would huddle together at play-time either drawing horses indoors (if it was raining) or playing outside with our MLP G1s!

Another girl in my class would join me at the weekends for our riding sessions, it is a lovely childhood memory for me, we often took turns with our respective Mums giving us lifts to the stables and then making the most of the rest of the  weekend by having sleep-overs etc.

To think: safety concerns in the 80s compared to today - I still used the old-fashioned velvet riding hat (now considered unsafe) and would sometimes wear old wellies instead of boots. Plus we were so young and occasionally didn't know who was leading the hack, also being left to tack-up unsupervised at age 6 and 7 - the thought of me dropping off my kid and leaving her to it fills me with shock - maybe folks were just more relaxed back then?

[freezestime]

I may be the only oddball here but I'm not into real horses at all, I was drawing humans and I always had a story about them, who they were, ect.

I found myself drawn to characters that were themed, or magical, like Sailor Moon and Monster High, so that kinda makes a connection to why I like MLP.

[Shileah]

I was crazy about horses as a child. My room was plastered in horse posters, I read all books and magazines I could find about horses, watched all the TV series (Black Beauty, Fury, Flicka are the ones I remember) so being playing with MLP was a no brainer. I had lots of Barbie horses, too, but only played with them, not with the Barbies (except with one friend who always wanted to play with Barbies, that's why I got one doll for). Whenever I saw a horse somewhere, I had to go up to it, try to pet it and generally just stand there and be in awe about it.

I've always kept an interest in horses, but lost the obsession growing up. My partner gifted me riding lessons when I was in my 30s as a birthday present, but it turned out to be less of a stellar experience than we had both hoped lol. At that time, I was overweight and extremely unfit, so it was a very straining and exhausting experience (for both me and the poor horse). After a couple of sessions, I got kicked off the horse, flew through the air, landed smack on my butt and broke my tailbone. I had to spend the next four weeks lying on my stomach in a lot of pain, and for the next three years, whenever I had to sit for a longer period of time, it would start hurting again. Roadtrips weren't fun during that time!

I'm a lot fitter and not overweight anymore today and thought about trying it again, but I am happy with adoring horses from afar, and just obsessing over the ones made of plastic now!