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HORSE Magazine



You never forget your first horse

Wednesday 25 August 2010

I have lost count of the number of different horses I have ridden over the past 10 years, from naughty ponies to racehorses to Advanced eventers. Many have been challenging, but all have improved my riding technique and made me an all-round better horsewoman. Naturally, some horses have been more special than others, and many readers will agree that you always look upon your first horse with particular affection.


I had come to the point where I felt I had learnt all I could from the riding school ponies and that having my own horse would allow me to progress much further, much more quickly. Buying a horse was out of the question but, undeterred, I contacted every tack shop, magazine and website I could think of with my advert seeking a horse for share.


As soon as I saw Mayfly, despite the fact she was 20 years old, toothless and deathly afraid of poles, I knew she was the horse for me. She appeared to be fairly talented at dressage so we joined our local Riding Club and by the end of the year were junior champions – not bad for an old lady! Mayfly rarely acted her age though, and could be an absolute nightmare, especially out hacking, where any vehicle larger than a car prompted a nervous breakdown and plastic bags were the most terrifying thing ever! However, she was extremely gentle and we had a very close bond – whenever I went into the field, she would whinny as soon as she saw me and come straight over.


Mayfly taught me more than I could ever realise at the time about riding and I have incredibly fond memories of the time I spent with her. As my first horse, she will always be one of the most important, and one of the reasons behind my love of riding.


Charlotte Pordage undertook a work experience placement at Horse.