Anyone else led by their hearts?

[carn77]

I wondered following a discussion with my friend how many people follow their hearts rather than making rational decisions before taking on a huge responsibility like a horse?

I ask because neither one of my horses were planned properly, and both have come to being because I was ruled by my heart, and I just wondered how many other people let go of being rational and follow their heart gut feeling

Carn….i've had him 3yrs but he came into my life 4yrs ago! Carn choose me when I volunteered at a small local rescue charity I was looking for the usual TB type horse but this little 12h chestnut pony with the horrendous abuse stole my heart and we been together ever since all traces of that pony that came into the rescue yard has long been forgotten hes truly amazing has the hugest heart and loves everyone he meets especially the ladies!

After I had got carn to the stage where I could let go of my protective motherly apron strings a tad more I realised I needed something that I was able to ride myself carn is brilliant I love him but I couldn’t ride him any longer, so it was time I considered getting another horse I didn’t have a type in mind I knew I didn’t want another project carn was 3yrs work which although was worth every minute of those 3yrs I just wanted something I could get on with, I wanted a gelding ridden and a horse that was use to living out 24/7 so not a TB type and along came=

Jazz…I have had him 1yr exactly and he was certainly not what I went looking for but he was a whirlwind romance, I put the word out to an old friend I was looking for another horse she had recently loaned hers out but she thought one of her friends might have a gelding that was for sale…anyway long story short I nagged her into taking me out on the 45min drive to see this horse and although the owner was out working I had a peak at him on the yard and although he was rough and ready a hard winter taken it out of him I knew I wanted him…was he what I was looking for nope! Jazz was a recently gelded serving stallion unbroken and only handled by his owner so pretty much another totally unhandled project! But he was a gelding he was unshod he lived out 24/7, he was a blank canvas! The minute my friend dropped me home I couldn’t stop talking about jazz and got on the phone to her immediately to promise me that she would get hold of the owner and arrange for us to meet offically etc and 1wk after meeting jazz he was delivered to me!

So neither my horses were planned so to speak, I got as far as deciding I wanted a horse and the rest just happened…having 2 huge projects as a 1st time owner probably isnt the wisest decision to have made and could have ended in disaster so easily, but we're lucky its worked for us so I'm glad my heart led me god only knows what I would of ended up with had I followed my head??

[black crow]

I've always gone with my head, even when i was taking on rescues.

I think its okay to go by heart as long as you use your head at the same time. Afterall they come first and it is our responsibility to make sure they will have a good home with us. If we cant provide the level of experience/knowledge/time/understanding/exercise they require, then people either should look elsewhere or reconsider getting a horse at all.

I was faced with some very hard choices back then, do you take on an old horse and give it security in its final time after serving people so long, or do you give the young horse a chance of going on to a new home and not continue to suffer and be beaten.

I went with my heart when i bought Spud. There was just something about him. He was in an utterly dreadful state, but i knew i had to have him.


Always think carefully and wisely before taking on the responibilities of horses, basically.

[carn77]

Dont get me wrong....i'd have a field full of horses and probably every other conceivable animal i came across if i was stupid enough
Working at the rescue centre we had lots of ponies come through the doors from foals to elderly that had sad stories etc but only carn came home with me i cant explain our bond but i felt it and knew in my heart he'd never have another home...
I just mean that my heart guided me to my soul mates

[bimba]

Neither of mine were 'planned', Mac kind of happened to me and I suppose my heart did slightly rule my head in that the timing for me to get a horse was all wrong but I wouldn't change him for anything and am so glad I had him. TJ I got last summer when the pony Mac lived with was pts very suddenly, I couldn't leave Mac by himself and didn't want to go back to a yard so my only real option was to get a companion. At the time I had some doubts as to the responsibilities of having another horse but again he's been nothing but wonderful!

[My Crazy Clan]

well I decided I wanted a horse years ago (horsey family!) "next year you can have one" that went on for 3yrs,. at 13 I saved a bit of money, just happened to look in the paper one day and wham, sisco stood out, right price, right area, my (favorite colour too!), his age didn't bother me in the slightest. I phoned to view him but couldn't get a lift over in the end so I told the owners to bring him straight over (I didn't ride him or even know what he looked like!) until he turned up! the moment he walked off that box I was doubted, hes to small, hes too young, hes too ugly, so glad I didn't listen to them, I took a change on a newly? backed 3 yr old, 11yrs later I still have him hes worth his weight in gold.

Monty was planned about 1 year after sisco for my mum to have her own horse, I almost didn't come back with him because the horse box let us down but I was determined (also same people who didn't want me to have sisco, didn't want me to have Monty either)

Wizz, needed a companion for Monty, saw him took him home within the hour, walked him all the way back! he was cheap and what i was looking for at the time.

Magic, went to drop something off and his head popped over the door, mum was smiting, i wasn't, owner said hes for sale so we put our name down, then found out his Dam was about to drop his full brother so My mum put her name down for him too if it turned out a colt!

Jester, was brought, kept at my place for a few weeks, mate decided she didn't want him, by this time I was too attached because i hate been looking after him most of the time he was there, mate said hes going back to the sells and she owned me stable rent so I had the horse instead.

Marley was brought of the same magic, almost died a year later, hes was a adorable and was for my sisters.





So I guess my heart ruled? because I only ever wanted one horses but I ended up with 7.

[FlyFar]

Being a bit led by my heart right now! What I have done after falling in love with a youngster who has no papers (so no idea who his mummy and daddy are!) is take back some sensible friends with me to see what they think! Also going to vet the horse first so I guess I am 50/50 really. I try to let my head talk some sense into my heart!