What do you look for in an equine companion?

Once upon a time, I used to want a beautiful dapple gray horse with gorgeous conformation, well muscled with a small delicate head and dark expressive eyes. This was my ultimate dream horse. As a teenager I'd had a mixed breed gelding with some Arabian blood and who just happened to be the color gray. I have very good memories of him so my dream horse rather reflected that. Well, you know what they say about dreams? They can turn into nightmares? And I mean that almost literally. As an adult, I married a man that was okay with buying the three of us each our own horse, one for our daughter, one for me, one for him and we would ride as a family and have great times. Well, that did happen once maybe BUT, our daughter wasn't really into horses unless we took care of her horse for her and just had her ride her already groomed and saddled horse. My husband was a danger to himself as well as others when he was on a horse. He liked the horses but couldn't quite get rid of the fear of their large size [he didn't tell me this in those particular words either!] I figured it out the time he panicked at crossing the street on horseback and he threw himself OFF the horse onto the ground. It was kind of funny but also meant that we had no business having so many horses for just me to take care of. I found my dream horse. She was a lovely quarter horse mare, NOT tall, well muscled, small little head, dark expressive eyes [I thought!] named Spice AND she was the color gray. I got a little worried about Spice after having her for a short time so I called the vet out and WOW, Spice was pregnant! No one knew, the former owners thought that the pregnancy hadn't taken because there had been bl**dy discharge. They had bred her to their paint stallion that they had since gelded. So, here I had the horse of my dreams AND a baby horse on the way. I was very happy about this state of affairs! I don't know if any horse has been taken care of quite as well as Spice was during her pregnancy. I read all the books, bought special feed, exercised her in the ring [NO riding the vet said, just in case], and kept her groomed and washed and pampered and petted for the entire pregnancy [and beyond]. The foal was born healthy and cute! It was a small filly with a few small splashes of color and I named her Heather. So everything was absolutely perfect and going according to schedule. I have tons of photographs of all the horses and Heather. I even sent out horse birth announcements! Then we weaned Heather and I started riding Spice [after everyone had calmed down]. That's when I found out that Spice didn't like me. I don't mean she hated me or anything like that but she had no emotional attachment to me at all. I was just no one to her. It was a very painful realization to have your dream horse NOT come to you for a rub behind the ears, NOT to call you when you moved too slow with her hay or grain and NOT to rub her head on you, just nothing. She wasn't interested in me at all. Ouch! On the other hand, Heather DID really like me and wanted me all the time AND in addition to that, the horse that we bought for my daughter? She was a huge 16 hand Appaloosa mare with the biggest head I've ever seen, well, SHE really liked me too! So I already HAD two horses just for me. We did end up having to sell the horses when my ex and I divorced and its just now, some 15 years later that I can talk about it without choking up and crying. It was so painful to say good bye to Heather and Moonie. I really loved those two horses.

I look mainly for health, soundness, height, and temperament. I don't much care about looks - I've owned some of the ugliest horses you've ever seen - or age or athletic ability. When I rode, I didn't do much competing and just did trail rides. Height is important because I'm freakishly tall and I look ridiculous on a short horse. Breed has never mattered, but I've ended up with a Quarter Horse ranch. They're fine horses, I have to admit it. If I were going to look breed-wise, I'd be looking for one of them.

I had Racking horses along with Arabians. I found 15 hands was big enough for me. I like mine bomb proof so that they are calm while walking by the road. I have always loved black horses, very regal looking. I always had the horses vetted out before I bought them. They need to be sound, fit, gentle and plenty of get up and go when you wanted it. I like Racking horses because they are easy on my back, no jarring, a beautiful gait. I mainly do trail ridingso I prefer Racking horses, you can sit in the saddle all day.

First off, I HIGHLY recommend staying away from ponies. They have horrible temperament as a general rule. For me, I ride western and prefer a horse with spunk. I am partial to quarter horses and thoroughbreds. Quarter horses have the best build for barrels and thoroughbreds just have a wonderful temperament. I have always loved sorrels. That cedar red color is my favorite. I want to make sure the horse is going to challenge me and make me earn its trust.

I would say that it has to do with how well you ride, and what you want with the horse. I'm short (5') and the horse I just loved growing up was a big pony, 13.3. She was also SMART, too smart by half. But that was part of the fun of riding her. I would've loved to have owned her, but my parents didn't think I needed a horse, and they were probably right - a horse is a big, and long term responsiblity. Sundown was a buckskin, and I still have a soft spot in my head for buckskins. She also had a bald face, and there is just something about those white noses that also do it for me. I made a light switch and painted "sunnies" on it, my sister wanted to know where I found it! Guess I did a good job!