So i just downloaded 1.6 (on xbox! didnt even know it was out yet) and made my way to the Riften Stables to hire a horse to try the new mounted combat.
Keeping in mind i havent riden a horse ingame for atleast 3 real world months.
To my supprise, when i arrived i was met by not only Shadowmere (whom i have lost since december time) but Frost as well as 2 other Horses i had hired and, um, killed.
Now this obviously made me rather happy, because i didnt have to spill out 1000 septims, but i thought it was a little too convinient....
Has anyone else experienced this "problem"?

Before 1.6 I had a horse I stole from Windhelm spawn at the Riften stables, not sure if I killed it or not. I bought the horse in Windhelm, looked at the stables, saw nothing there, waited an hour, then just loaded cause it didn't appear. Saw it in Riften much later.

But to answer your question, I've never had it like that before.

Yes, this has happened to me. I also was at Riften Stables and was encountered by a horse that I thought didn't exist.

Interesting you post this, last night I was near Riften with my new horse Epona, in the distance I saw a horse coming towards us. As it got closer and I approached it, I discovered it was supposedly my horse.

After I got the 1.6 patch I went to Whiterun Stables to get a horse and test out the mounted combat but when I got none of the horses had spawned correctly and were all in a frozen state, drifting slowly to the east???