Blog Hop - The Horse You Bought

I love this blog hop! It got me thinking about my guys, but mostly about Coolie.

6 years ago I was on the look out for a new horse, a confidence giver who I could have fun on. When I saw Coolies ad, I was not sold. He was not quite what I was looking for, but I kept coming back to it. I decided I didn't have anything to lose so rang up about him. After a 30 minute conversation I had organised a time to go and meet him. From the second I laid eyes on him I knew he was the horse for me.

Oh my goodness how things have changed!

The first week I owned him I went for a group trail ride with my friends. I was super nervous, but by the end of the ride I was having the best time. Before I got him, Coolie had jumped just once, and never gone XC. He had done some dressage and adult riders with his nervous owner but beyond that his education was fairly basic. Our first PC rally saw us doing things I hadn't done in years!

I bought Coolie intending to do a bit of everything with him and hopefully go eventing. I didn't know how high we would jump, or how well we would do. I just wanted to have a horse I could enjoy.

Coolie and I have done dressage, show jumping, eventing, games, trail riding, had a go at pretend camp drafting, been on holiday together. I have dressed him up, taken him weird places and every single time I have trusted him. He has been exactly the horse I wanted.

Footloose and fancy free

Our first event was a total wash out. We entered to do 65. I was nervous but the dressage and show jumping went ok. We were both green as grass at XC. As we came to the first jump, Coolie stopped and I fell off! The next year we stepped back and started out at 45cm.

He was cute even over little 45cm jumps!

6 year later, Coolie is a completely different horse. He is no longer green. He and I have progressed far beyond anything I thought we would be capable of. He has been with me 100% every step of the way. He is the horse who I continue to have to best time with all the time. He has challenged me, and made me feel safe. He is the horse I can gallop around XC on one day and the next chuck a kid on and know he will refuse to move faster than a slug.

He always has loved XC!

Coolie has taken me from jumping around 45cm, to training to go 105cm. Over time he has learnt to use his body properly. I have learnt how to ride him better and we have progressed together. Even after 6 years, we have so much to learn still. We are still progressing and being challenged. Coolie is still stepping up and loving his job. I love every second I am in the saddle with him.

We are seriously considering stepping up to the next level in dressage too, something I NEVER EVER thought I would consider.

I know this horse like the back of my hand and I am so thankful I didn't scroll past his ad.