The Dream

So, all this horse riding, collecting knowledge, voluntarily getting involved in yard duties: what is the point? Well, put simply, a horse. I want to be an owner: I want the chance to bond one-on-one with a horse, rather than being just one of a hoard of carers that a horse recognises and likes. I want to be the one who's whinnied at from the field when arriving at the yard. I want to play the 'scratch me here' game. I want to relax by grooming a horse who's enjoying my company and gentle touch so much that he/she falls asleep. While really I'm not fussy: I'd take pretty much any shape, size and colour (just 14.2hh+ and no TBs: both for practical reasons) as long as we're the right pairing to make each other happy. A girl can dream however and I suppose than in reality, I have 3 dream horses.

(1) The Perhaps Unobtainable Dream: The Fresian

I am Fresian mad, and have been for as long as I can remember. I can even picture my first horse care book: I got it from Bargain Books with my pocket money when I was at primary school, and it had loads of hand drawn breed in there.  Even from that drawing, that I can picture now like a photograph, I fell in love. The only creatures to come close were our native Dales and Fell ponies (also known as Britain's mini-Fresians, with some Fresian blood in their heritage). So, black, powerful, and  gorgeously hairy obviously appeals!  In fact, here’s a prime example or two:

NB: I in no way endorse riding a horse without a hat, but unfortunately there's few  professional dressage photos where the rider is wearing a safety helmet).

(These are both the baroque type and not the sports type: I'm all about the chunky, hefty baroque)!

I only got to meet my first Fresian last year though: I met not one but four of them, all in old-fashioned driving livery. They were more Sport types than Baroques, but I was still in love! Here’s a photo, though I have about 100 from that day:

  

I also love that they seem to be the film industry standard of the beautiful horse. Do you remember Antonio Banderas’ sexy black Andalusian stallion Tornado? Well, that was actually a Fresian. Lucretzia Borgias’ horse, stolen from Gianni Schwartzer (his hunting and war horse)? That’s a Fresian. I could go on all day: if you’ve seen a war film and one of the leaders of the armies is on a black horse, you can bet your pension it’s Fresian.

Their characters are also to die for: they're people lovers. In fact, most people say Fresians don't realise they're horses. They're more like big dogs, and often seem to prefer human to equine company. Imagine that, a stunner of a horse who just wants to spend time with you... heaven! It does mean you need to teach them their manners well, as they can be bargey as they like to be close. However, I'd be teaching any horse it manners, so that doesn't worry me as  breed trait.

The downsides? Well, bred as driving horses in the Netherlands, they have powerful back-ends (perfect for driving and dressage) and impressive front leg action: this can make them very bouncy trotters, so much so that many find it uncomfortable to ride. Imagine the heartbreak of sitting on your dream horse and not enjoying riding it? Also, as their preferred gait is trot: most are horrors to teach to canter, often taking years to get the hang of it. Add this to their slow physical maturation (keep growing ‘til they’re 6), their expense (those that are on the studbooks the Dutch don’t want to let go and consequently cost a fortune. There’s a lot of cowboys out there breeding poor quality Fresians but selling them to ill-informed buyers, even though their confirmation is awful and they can’t ever be papered). So, buying young and buying smart is the way to go: I’m nowhere near ready to back and bring on horses, so I have that fear that I might never be, or never find someone I trust to do so with my dream Fresian youngster.

Here's what a Fresian Spanish Walk looks like -a common movement taught as the front leg action of a Fresian's so beautiful and flexible. This horse is actually a Fresian x Appaloosa, but as can be seen the only think it takes from it sire is its coat colour thankfully: it's 100% typically Fresian bar the colour!

(2) The ‘Real’ Dream Horse – the Grey Irish Draft

I love Irish horses: always have, always will. There is nothing as straight forward or as hardy in terms of breaking down as an Irish horse, be it a papered draft or a bog pony. Many professional eventers choose them precisely because they’re not pampered: they live and are ridden in all sorts of ground conditions, making their liability to go lame low and their ability to be ridden over a range of competitive grounds unbeatable. Here's a true draft though: one of the heavier, more traditionally built IDs than is common though (as they do come from true drafty to thickset WB type shapes):

Add to this I hate TBs and TB-like horses: those neurotic horses with skinny legs that look like they’ll snap in the breeze, and a body so fine it doesn’t look like any adult over the size of a jockey should actually ride them.  I do like to jump however, and the perfect compromise of solid build, Irishness and ability to jump is the Irish draft – a breed often found in SJs, or crossed with TBs all of the equestrian Olympic disciplines (e.g. Mary King's Imperial Cavalier is from ID stock, with blood added for XC stamina).

Now to add my favourite colour: grey. Pretty much any famous horse I’d like to own is grey, because they catch my eye: Carlo, Coronet Obolsenky, Corradina… I could go on all day (and will do a separate entry on them at some point). I know they’re hard to keep clean, but I actually think there’s nothing more wonderful than washing and grooming a grey horse (unless they’re a pain in the wash bay and kick at being groomed – difficult horses aren’t much fun at all in that respect). I also love all the greys: iron, dapple, steel, rose, 'white', flea bitten – I think they're stunning in every form.

My friend has the most perfect specimen of an Irish draft mare, Jessie, Roman nose and all. If she wasn’t 17hh I’d have gone to the North East and stolen her by now! Here she is:

So, a chunky 15.2hh grey Irish draft is the highly achievable dream horse, and a type that will catch my eye in any field, stable or ring on any day of the week.

(3) The Draft Dream Horse

I’m not into tall horses, not any more. As a teen I’d ride anything just to ride, and often rode 17hhs without batting an eyelid. As an adult, I’ve not broken the 16hh barrier yet and am happy at that. It’s big enough to feel grown up (i.e. riding a horse and not a big kid’s pony) and to feel suitable for my height and weight, without being high enough to increase nerves. In saying that, I'd still give it a go cos it might just be in my head. However, there will always be one exception to this height rule for me: the gentle giants. (Here's a great photo for proof - when a Clydie met a Shetland)!

I love shires and Clydesdales: seeing them clad in their show wear as a young kid just absolutely captivated me. Not only were they super huge then (me not even reaching the top of their legs as a tot), but their tack and trim was phenomenal. I remember being set on one’s back while his straw was being fluffed up, propped on side ways at a 6yr old with no hat. Train didn’t even seem to know I was there, and I felt safe: so different to the mischievous 12hh Misty who could make me nervous! lol.  I also love that they’re native breeds and to buy one would be to support our own.

As a youngster I always preferred shires: they don’t carry the sabiano gene, and I find the resultant minimum white more attractive. I also think their leg to body size proportion is better than the Clydesdales. However, Clydesdales have in recent years stolen my heart, even though they’re not as physically beautiful. They’re also a bit shorter typically (more like 16-17hh rather than 17-19hh)! The best thing about Tom being in hospital so unwell was the bus trip: I went past the local Clydesdale breeders and showers twice every day, and enjoyed the beautiful sight of all the mares with foals at foot 80)

I also imagine that, if Tom was ever to take up riding, he’d be happy to get on my dream Clydie, but perhaps not the ID or Fresian. I know he wouldn’t be worried about the weight/height ratio, and the gentle nature would help. I hope my dream Clydie isn’t a plod: I want an off the leg, friendly and helpful soul. That’s a lot of horse if it threw tantrums! I can see it being my big happy hacker though 80)

So there we go: in my dream stables I’d have a Baroque Fresian (not over 16hh, but I’d stretch a bit as I love the breed so much), a 15.2hh robust grey ID and a lovely tank of a Clydie. Fingers crossed that over my lifetime I achieve even one of those… However, people joke that you always come home from horse shopping with the very horse you set out not to buy: so perhaps I’ll have a WB/TB who’s 16.2hh+ and is dark bay! lol.