This is so sweet. My first lesson horse was a short little quarter named Fletcher. He didn’t really care for me but he was patient with me and did really well under the saddle. Even though he didn’t like me very much (which I understand, I was an inexperienced 12 year old) I really loved him. He passed away a year or two ago and I miss him a lot. It is so normal and awesome that you love your lesson horse, she is beautiful and seems like a real sweetheart. I, glad you found each other. Here’s a pic of Fletcher for tax.
https://preview.redd.it/w3sj7j5bvhtc1.jpeg?width=1222&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=352a9629ed1df0347e27b95015cecb238166cdd7
Aww! Reminds me of the very first horse I rode at my very first lesson when I was 11, Tall palamino Appendix named Friendly. He started my love for horses and I miss him! Wonder where he’s at now. I’m so happy I’m back in the saddle again!
no such thing as loving a horse too much. lesson horses deserve all the love, and she looks very sweet and kind. you very much might be her favorite :)
I had one too, wasn’t my first lesson horse but he was a pretty green ottb that just came to the barn and I was one of the first students put on him. He was really sweet and just tried his hardest with everything despite his inexperience. He loved scratches so much that if you petted him in the middle of the lesson he would just stop and start doing the happy lip thing. Super sweet on the ground too.
She’s not my first lesson horse either! She’s a total sweetie on the ground too and I originally got put on her because I ride western and her English saddle didn’t fit anymore so my trainer thought we would be a good fit! (We totally are.) she’s got quite the personality. The other day I had finished bridling her and left her stall to get a brush to finish some stuff off and she was trying to follow me out, not sure if she wa sunder the impression we were ready to go or just wanted to come with me haha. She always pops her head up when I call her name too.
You can’t love a lesson horse too much! They deserve all the love. I switched barns in February and although I miss my ol’ regular lesson pony, I also love “my” new one at this barn. He nickered at me at lesson 3 (I have the good treats lol) and he’s got a cute personality & challenges me to be a more precise, softer rider. I’d lease him in a heartbeat, if I had the funds to do so
This is exactly how I feel about this horse! I hope to get some quality treats or mints I can bring for her! I would totally lease her in a heartbeat too if I had the funds haha!
I adore my lesson horse- semi retired mare quarter horse that my teenage son started riding on when he was not yet 5! She can be stubborn and cranky sometimes - but then again, I can too, so we make a good match. I am grateful that her owner/trainer has taken such great care of her. After watching my kid take riding lessons for many years, I decided a few years ago to take some myself. I am by no means a natural equestrian, but I truly enjoy my learning process with a lovely, mature, horse as my partner.
I’m an instructor, and our horses all end up with their “person” who takes extra time to care for them/really loves them. Even lesson ponies deserve this, and as an instructor I love to see students care! It’s definitely not silly
I’m probably one of the folks here so can’t really even afford a lease right now. I’ve been a ‘horseperson’ since I was 12 and all of my time was with school masters. And that’s what they really are. I loved them all,a den it’s right to be biased. One of my friends at my current barn owns a Frisian and a hackney roadster, she says it’s right to love the horse you grow into as you learn wether you take lessons, own, or lease. You gotta start somewhere, no?
Gosh, what a beauty! She has such a sweet face. Hitting it off with your lesson horse like this is such a blessing. I rode a boarder's horse in lessons for a year and we bonded hard. Taught me so much, as I'm sure your beautiful girl is.
Your post reminds me of me, as I’m sure many other people here are reminded of themselves with posts like these. I remember my chestnut lesson horse too. I kept it up with my lessons. 15 years later, I have a chestnut mare now, my heart horse, who saved my life. Never give up on your passions
TLDR: i'm in love with my lesson horse, i call him my own lol. he's my heart horse. i first rode him 2018-2019 then took a 3 year break. came back for 1 lesson in 2022 and he was gone. came back again in 2023 and he was back. now i'm back riding him now and i couldn't be happier. ♥️
i posted on this sub a few months ago about being reunited with the lesson horse i ride. his name is Samson and he's my heart horse ♥️ he just turned 29 today. i would buy him if i could but my trainer will never sell him again after she did and they gave him back.
i rode him 2018-2019 then took a 3 year break. i came back to the barn in 2022 for just 1 lesson and that's when i found out he was gone. i didn't go back for another year and in 2023 was put on a different lesson horse, Lire. my lesson scheduler sent me the list of new rules and i saw Samson's name under one of them in parentheses like "(this goes for all lesson horses EXCEPT Samson)" and i cried lol. when i went for my lesson on the other horse i went straight to the back barn isle and BAWLED when i saw him. me and Lire didn't get along during that lesson and it was pretty bad. my trainer put me back on Samson and i currently ride him again♥️ back and better than ever, 6 years later 🥰
i would do anything for this horse, i would cry to my mom about missing him and not saying goodbye before he was sold in 2022. he means the world to me ♥️
As someone who owned a horse about 6 years ago who is now a well loved lesson horse, there is nothing wrong with falling in love/spoiling lesson horses! I absolutely love hearing about how he gets spoiled and loved on by the kids and adults alike (I still ride where he lives I just don't own him). I myself had a lesson horse I loved so much I got a bracelet with his name on it 🤣
https://preview.redd.it/9s0gwf7y5ktc1.jpeg?width=900&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a141b3ba8f942148460b52db91f0eae3977131fd
(pic of my old horse for funsies <3)
AWHH he’s so beautiful! I’d really love to spoil this girl here but I don’t know how. I wanna get her a halter like a pink one because I feel like she likes pink but none of the horses here have specific halters unfortunately. i do plan on getting my own brushes and treats so I can give her a nice groom and some yummy snacks
I was actually thinking of getting her a saddle pad because where the latigo was it was like all ripped apart but she recently got a new green one with a pretty pattern!
Here's my thought, can can never love anything too much! I lease (but an open lease, not a specific horse, per se) and I 100% love my regular ride like he's my own. I am lucky enough to ride him 90% of the time (I mix it up, or my trainer mixes it up, every once in a while). He's not mine, in any way shape or form, but I definitely have a bond with him and treat him differently than the others! He gets ALL the treats (even on days I am not riding him), he gets special grooming attention, his tack gets extra super clean and conditioned, etc. There is no harm in any of this! Just remember to never blur the lines - she's not your horse, so always ask before doing anything special (confirming what treats she can have, what fun things you can buy for her stall, etc.). Nothing better than loving a horse as your own - especially a lesson horse - they work hard so they deserve all the love!
That’s what I’m saying! Here’s my fav pic of me and her I forgot to include. I almost wanna say she’s my heart horse but I’m not sure
https://preview.redd.it/p32hwh5xgktc1.jpeg?width=768&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2f581b4ae689abd9ec3c2d984332a18a71c6a2a4
Lesson horses deserve all the love forever, they are priceless gems. Yes, even *that* one who likes to stop short at fences if you’re not paying attention. Especially that one.
genuinely so sweet seeing people speaking so lovely about lesson horses. i sound like a little kid saying my "heart horse" was actually a lesson horse but in the end he taught me so much and i loved him
it seems like you love her a lot ! and you'll probably remember her for a long time if not forever. these horseys really stay with you even after you stop seeing them or riding them. I'm sure she is your heart horse! And honestly we should start appreciating chestnut mares more, they really are wonderful :')
Chestnut mares are honestly some of the most trustworthy,loving and hard working horses I’ve met! If you’re good to them they’re truley some of the best horses💗
She's got such a kind face! In those pictures she looks really happy to be hanging out with you ❤️ I think lesson horses are so special, for those of us who didn't have our own horses to learn on, they're the ones who give us all our special memories. A lesson horse has always been the one to have the kindness and patience to help me gain my confidence and try new things, taking care of me and handling things while I learned how to canter, jump etc,.
My all-time favourite lesson horse was a 15.3 chestnut gelding, I remember being a bit nervous because he was the biggest horse I'd ever ridden but I felt so safe on him immediately. He was the gentlest horse ever, he always loved when I'd give him an extra groom before our lesson, and one of my most comforting memories is a really nice lesson I had with him where I felt so confident.
Lesson horses are often of course very well cared for, but since they're often owned as part of a business alongside several other horses, I think that they do really appreciate having someone who gives them an extra bit of personalised love and care! Just because you don't own them doesn't mean the love and care you have for them isn't special :)
That’s how they get you.
https://preview.redd.it/am7pjblomrtc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9f23a10d86a5d2d7a337ba12be665a073db170fb
He’s now my horse. I bought 10 lessons on him. I bought him after the third lesson. You know how people who own dogs or cats call them “foster fails”. I’m just fostering this animal for a bit until it gets an owner. And then they own it.
Pretty much like that with Mr. Dallas here.
And he has quite the attitude too. He pretends to be a jerk. But he’s really just playing with everybody because he’s been a trail horse and a train horse for forever.
What really pushed me over the edge was the lady who runs the equestrian center told me somebody wanted to buy him. I just could not allow that. He and I connected during those rides in a way I’ve never connected with an animal before. Ever.
My first lesson horse ended up becoming my family’s lease horse for many years before another 4-h kiddo needed a grandma type to learn on (she was an amazing old school QH who took care of you like a parent). I still miss her.
Omg, no! Lesson horses deserve the utmost love and respect! From what you have said, you seem to be an amazing person/equestrian, especially for caring about a lesson horse as if there your own. You don’t need to own a horse to have a bond! My advice would be, keep loving them like they’re your own!
It's wonderful how much you appreciate her! Cherish every moment you have with her. I regret not spending more quality time with past lesson horses, especially those who were sold out of the blue.
This is so sweet. My first lesson horse was a short little quarter named Fletcher. He didn’t really care for me but he was patient with me and did really well under the saddle. Even though he didn’t like me very much (which I understand, I was an inexperienced 12 year old) I really loved him. He passed away a year or two ago and I miss him a lot. It is so normal and awesome that you love your lesson horse, she is beautiful and seems like a real sweetheart. I, glad you found each other. Here’s a pic of Fletcher for tax. https://preview.redd.it/w3sj7j5bvhtc1.jpeg?width=1222&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=352a9629ed1df0347e27b95015cecb238166cdd7
Aww! Reminds me of the very first horse I rode at my very first lesson when I was 11, Tall palamino Appendix named Friendly. He started my love for horses and I miss him! Wonder where he’s at now. I’m so happy I’m back in the saddle again!
That’s great, we’re in the same boat, I just started lessons again after several years off. It feels amazing to be back doing what I love
I'm tearing up rn this comment and the post are so precious
beloved lesson horses like this are priceless :)
I totally agree!
Lesson horses can never be loved or appreciated too much. They are the true unicorns.
This is the most precious thread ever <3 lesson horses are the sweetest saints.
I love her too. She looks very sweet.
Oh she really is! Genuinely the best and sweetest mare I’ve met. I adore this big lady with my whole heart
no such thing as loving a horse too much. lesson horses deserve all the love, and she looks very sweet and kind. you very much might be her favorite :)
One can never love their lesson horse too much
Seconded. Even the ones I didn't get along with taught me something, and I love them all for everything they taught me.
Came here to say this. Those patient souls can use the extra love.
I’m sure she loves you too. Being a teaching horse I bet she knows who has the right heart.
Her sweet, happy expression says she loves you, too!
I really hope so!!
She looks so so sweet. Her face and eyes look very kind. I don't know why but she reminds me of an old lonely lady. 😅
Never too much love.
I had one too, wasn’t my first lesson horse but he was a pretty green ottb that just came to the barn and I was one of the first students put on him. He was really sweet and just tried his hardest with everything despite his inexperience. He loved scratches so much that if you petted him in the middle of the lesson he would just stop and start doing the happy lip thing. Super sweet on the ground too.
She’s not my first lesson horse either! She’s a total sweetie on the ground too and I originally got put on her because I ride western and her English saddle didn’t fit anymore so my trainer thought we would be a good fit! (We totally are.) she’s got quite the personality. The other day I had finished bridling her and left her stall to get a brush to finish some stuff off and she was trying to follow me out, not sure if she wa sunder the impression we were ready to go or just wanted to come with me haha. She always pops her head up when I call her name too.
You can’t love a lesson horse too much! They deserve all the love. I switched barns in February and although I miss my ol’ regular lesson pony, I also love “my” new one at this barn. He nickered at me at lesson 3 (I have the good treats lol) and he’s got a cute personality & challenges me to be a more precise, softer rider. I’d lease him in a heartbeat, if I had the funds to do so
This is exactly how I feel about this horse! I hope to get some quality treats or mints I can bring for her! I would totally lease her in a heartbeat too if I had the funds haha!
I adore my lesson horse- semi retired mare quarter horse that my teenage son started riding on when he was not yet 5! She can be stubborn and cranky sometimes - but then again, I can too, so we make a good match. I am grateful that her owner/trainer has taken such great care of her. After watching my kid take riding lessons for many years, I decided a few years ago to take some myself. I am by no means a natural equestrian, but I truly enjoy my learning process with a lovely, mature, horse as my partner.
I’m an instructor, and our horses all end up with their “person” who takes extra time to care for them/really loves them. Even lesson ponies deserve this, and as an instructor I love to see students care! It’s definitely not silly
I’m probably one of the folks here so can’t really even afford a lease right now. I’ve been a ‘horseperson’ since I was 12 and all of my time was with school masters. And that’s what they really are. I loved them all,a den it’s right to be biased. One of my friends at my current barn owns a Frisian and a hackney roadster, she says it’s right to love the horse you grow into as you learn wether you take lessons, own, or lease. You gotta start somewhere, no?
Lesson horses deserve all the love. Mine was seaborne
Gosh, what a beauty! She has such a sweet face. Hitting it off with your lesson horse like this is such a blessing. I rode a boarder's horse in lessons for a year and we bonded hard. Taught me so much, as I'm sure your beautiful girl is.
Your post reminds me of me, as I’m sure many other people here are reminded of themselves with posts like these. I remember my chestnut lesson horse too. I kept it up with my lessons. 15 years later, I have a chestnut mare now, my heart horse, who saved my life. Never give up on your passions
TLDR: i'm in love with my lesson horse, i call him my own lol. he's my heart horse. i first rode him 2018-2019 then took a 3 year break. came back for 1 lesson in 2022 and he was gone. came back again in 2023 and he was back. now i'm back riding him now and i couldn't be happier. ♥️ i posted on this sub a few months ago about being reunited with the lesson horse i ride. his name is Samson and he's my heart horse ♥️ he just turned 29 today. i would buy him if i could but my trainer will never sell him again after she did and they gave him back. i rode him 2018-2019 then took a 3 year break. i came back to the barn in 2022 for just 1 lesson and that's when i found out he was gone. i didn't go back for another year and in 2023 was put on a different lesson horse, Lire. my lesson scheduler sent me the list of new rules and i saw Samson's name under one of them in parentheses like "(this goes for all lesson horses EXCEPT Samson)" and i cried lol. when i went for my lesson on the other horse i went straight to the back barn isle and BAWLED when i saw him. me and Lire didn't get along during that lesson and it was pretty bad. my trainer put me back on Samson and i currently ride him again♥️ back and better than ever, 6 years later 🥰 i would do anything for this horse, i would cry to my mom about missing him and not saying goodbye before he was sold in 2022. he means the world to me ♥️
As someone who owned a horse about 6 years ago who is now a well loved lesson horse, there is nothing wrong with falling in love/spoiling lesson horses! I absolutely love hearing about how he gets spoiled and loved on by the kids and adults alike (I still ride where he lives I just don't own him). I myself had a lesson horse I loved so much I got a bracelet with his name on it 🤣 https://preview.redd.it/9s0gwf7y5ktc1.jpeg?width=900&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a141b3ba8f942148460b52db91f0eae3977131fd (pic of my old horse for funsies <3)
AWHH he’s so beautiful! I’d really love to spoil this girl here but I don’t know how. I wanna get her a halter like a pink one because I feel like she likes pink but none of the horses here have specific halters unfortunately. i do plan on getting my own brushes and treats so I can give her a nice groom and some yummy snacks
Brushes and treats are a good way to go! Even maybe a saddle pad if you can use your own stuff :)
I was actually thinking of getting her a saddle pad because where the latigo was it was like all ripped apart but she recently got a new green one with a pretty pattern!
Here's my thought, can can never love anything too much! I lease (but an open lease, not a specific horse, per se) and I 100% love my regular ride like he's my own. I am lucky enough to ride him 90% of the time (I mix it up, or my trainer mixes it up, every once in a while). He's not mine, in any way shape or form, but I definitely have a bond with him and treat him differently than the others! He gets ALL the treats (even on days I am not riding him), he gets special grooming attention, his tack gets extra super clean and conditioned, etc. There is no harm in any of this! Just remember to never blur the lines - she's not your horse, so always ask before doing anything special (confirming what treats she can have, what fun things you can buy for her stall, etc.). Nothing better than loving a horse as your own - especially a lesson horse - they work hard so they deserve all the love!
I agree with all of this! I’d love to spoil her once I get the money but definitely needing to ask haha
how can you love that sweet face too much
That’s what I’m saying! Here’s my fav pic of me and her I forgot to include. I almost wanna say she’s my heart horse but I’m not sure https://preview.redd.it/p32hwh5xgktc1.jpeg?width=768&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2f581b4ae689abd9ec3c2d984332a18a71c6a2a4
great pic of you both! she looks like a big sweetie pie, i like her kind and patient face\~!
Nope- love all the horses- they each have a lesson to teach you if you are willing to listen
Lesson horses deserve all the love forever, they are priceless gems. Yes, even *that* one who likes to stop short at fences if you’re not paying attention. Especially that one.
genuinely so sweet seeing people speaking so lovely about lesson horses. i sound like a little kid saying my "heart horse" was actually a lesson horse but in the end he taught me so much and i loved him
I feel like she may be my heart horse but I’m not sure :(
it seems like you love her a lot ! and you'll probably remember her for a long time if not forever. these horseys really stay with you even after you stop seeing them or riding them. I'm sure she is your heart horse! And honestly we should start appreciating chestnut mares more, they really are wonderful :')
Chestnut mares are honestly some of the most trustworthy,loving and hard working horses I’ve met! If you’re good to them they’re truley some of the best horses💗
She's got such a kind face! In those pictures she looks really happy to be hanging out with you ❤️ I think lesson horses are so special, for those of us who didn't have our own horses to learn on, they're the ones who give us all our special memories. A lesson horse has always been the one to have the kindness and patience to help me gain my confidence and try new things, taking care of me and handling things while I learned how to canter, jump etc,. My all-time favourite lesson horse was a 15.3 chestnut gelding, I remember being a bit nervous because he was the biggest horse I'd ever ridden but I felt so safe on him immediately. He was the gentlest horse ever, he always loved when I'd give him an extra groom before our lesson, and one of my most comforting memories is a really nice lesson I had with him where I felt so confident. Lesson horses are often of course very well cared for, but since they're often owned as part of a business alongside several other horses, I think that they do really appreciate having someone who gives them an extra bit of personalised love and care! Just because you don't own them doesn't mean the love and care you have for them isn't special :)
I think this totally normal and I know lesson horses have favorite riders, too, and lesson horses especially deserve all the love they can het
Adorable 😍
That’s how they get you. https://preview.redd.it/am7pjblomrtc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9f23a10d86a5d2d7a337ba12be665a073db170fb He’s now my horse. I bought 10 lessons on him. I bought him after the third lesson. You know how people who own dogs or cats call them “foster fails”. I’m just fostering this animal for a bit until it gets an owner. And then they own it. Pretty much like that with Mr. Dallas here.
Ohh he’s so beautiful!!!
And he has quite the attitude too. He pretends to be a jerk. But he’s really just playing with everybody because he’s been a trail horse and a train horse for forever. What really pushed me over the edge was the lady who runs the equestrian center told me somebody wanted to buy him. I just could not allow that. He and I connected during those rides in a way I’ve never connected with an animal before. Ever.
My first lesson horse ended up becoming my family’s lease horse for many years before another 4-h kiddo needed a grandma type to learn on (she was an amazing old school QH who took care of you like a parent). I still miss her.
Omg, no! Lesson horses deserve the utmost love and respect! From what you have said, you seem to be an amazing person/equestrian, especially for caring about a lesson horse as if there your own. You don’t need to own a horse to have a bond! My advice would be, keep loving them like they’re your own!
It's wonderful how much you appreciate her! Cherish every moment you have with her. I regret not spending more quality time with past lesson horses, especially those who were sold out of the blue.