Stories

My sorrel mare Blue, and my Australian Shepherd/Blue Heeler puppy, Lucy. These are my two joys in life and keep me sane. I love them more then I thought could be physically possible! All three of us have worked very hard to please each other and to make it to where we are now. I am very proud of how far we have come!

Rebecca van Geel, the Netherlands

• This is a picture of my horse Banjer, me, and Monique (Banjer’s owner) after a dressage competition. Banjer is a nine-year-old Welsh X Hackney X Arabian horse and we’ve been a team for over 3 years. Monique bought Banjer when he was just 3 years old, a stunning, yet stubborn stallion who didn’t even accept wearing a halter. Despite Monique’s disability (losing her left leg and the function of her right hand) she trained Banjer to drive a carriage. In 2010, Monique and Banjer competed in the Para-Equestrian Driving World Championships in Breda and received the silver medal!

  Right after that, Monique approached me and asked if I wanted to ride and train him. This was a once-in-a-lifetime offer I couldn’t turn down. Banjer and I bonded immediately, although he still managed to throw me off his back a couple of times…

  Monique has been very supportive the past 3 years. She has been a true inspiration to me; following your heart, no matter what it takes, don’t let anything stop you from doing the things you love to do. Monique is even teaching me to drive a carriage with Banjer and we’re planning to participate in competitions soon!

  Banjer’s never ending energy, enthusiasm, sweetness and reliability makes me love him more every day. I’m so happy to be able to see and ride him every day. I can’t Imagine life without him.

@Oak’s Golden Devil
Send us a story about your horse with a good photo. Tell us your horse’s name, breed, how and when you got him, and special things about him.

Jamaica Hughes, New South Wales, Austraila

• This is my baby. His name is Macca. My mum is the secretary for North West Equine Rescue. This beautiful man was surrendered to us last year with apparent laminitis and equine metabolic syndrome so he had been confined to a 3 by 3 meter paddock for six years. When he came to us he had neither of those things he was just sore from his feet being cut so short that he was walking on his heels. Since he has been with us he has been ridden by my 19 year old big sister, my 5 year old little brother, my 7 year old little sister and myself (16). He loves hugs and kisses. My mum brought him for me for my sixteenth birthday. He lets me go under his belly, sit in front of his front legs while he is eating. If I take him for a walk out of the paddock on a big grassy area and tell him to stay there he does. He also stops at the road until I go and grab him and take him across. He is a beautiful boy who just wants to please.

By Kitty Gulløy

This is a picture of my Norwegian Kaldblods horse. She is 20 years old and named Tone. I have owned her for 13 years know. We have been through so much together. I learn how to ride on her. I learned to love riding and horses from her. She did everything for me: jumping, western, dressage, driving, working in the woods, walking on trips, competing and racing. Then she suffered an injury.

We operated on her, but she never gotten a 100% healthy. After treatment, she became better and I still ride her on trips and we run a little. She is so happy when she is being ridden. Sometimes, because of school, she have some days off and when we go for a ride again, she is totally excited. Just jumping around, I love it! She really loves life. I hope she stays with me for many years more, but time will show she lived a happy life at least, doing what she loves.

By Natasha Willemse, Australia

Cheraz Silver Pocker aka Sharaz was a 15hh anglo arab we got as a 5 year old in our first year in Australia in 2008.

We had Sharaz for 5 years and he was the most competitive little man I ever knew. Which is handy in endurance riding. He was very aggressive and naughty when we first got home and didn’t like being told what to do.

I trained him at home, but it was a long time before my dad would let me compete him because he would lose his head on track and go crazy.

When I did finally start riding him, we quickly sorted each other out; I found all his tweaks and had to compromise a lot. I had to find a very specific way of riding and communicating with him.

And the results poured in, we won many rides including our first 160km ride and the 320km marathon.

But more than success we formed an amazing bond; he wasn’t my horse anymore, he was my partner, my equal and a part of me completely.

My beloved man is now competing overseas as they have more to give him, but I miss him everyday and a part of my heart went with him.