“Unusual” eventers

[mini_b]

A lighthearted thread!

please share your stories of your not so typical event horses with regards to breeding. I’m personally particularly interested in those that competed up to novice (and above - sky is the limit!)

I was chatting with a friend and reminiscing about when you worked with what you had. They competed to a level far above what I ever will with written off horses. (Talent!)
Whereas I have non typical horses, no fear and a good work ethic!
My newest recruit is a shire x tb, a friend got a cob x to novice with good results.

Ala mulrys error please

 

[Fjord]

I know someone on FB did a BE80 with a Fjord, it looked amazing going over the jumps.

 

[Orangehorse]

A few years ago Horse and Hound did articles on famous horses, eventers and show jumpers from an earlier era and I noted with interest just how many had Arab not that far back in their breeding.

 

[Cortez]

Not me, but a friend of mine evented a mule in the states. Quite successfully.

 

[quizzie]

1st event horse was 7/8 TB, 1/8 Shire….completed Advanced
Last event horse was full Holsteiner, also completed Advanced, still sound and being ridden aged 20…….my 2 horses of a lifetime.

…several others more conventionally bred in the many years in between!

 

[mini_b]

Not me, but a friend of mine evented a mule in the states. Quite successfully.

success in that it went clear… or it got to PN+?

 

[mini_b]

1st event horse was 7/8 TB, 1/8 Shire….completed Advanced
Last event horse was full Holsteiner, also completed Advanced, still sound and being ridden aged 20…….my 2 horses of a lifetime.

…several others more conventionally bred in the many years in between!

excellent!!
my current is Irish mix up and is absolutely incredible, latest pick up is 50% blood.

 

[hock]

Lots of very good 1/4 bred Shires out eventing and a handful at the top!

 

[Mouse19]

I took a PRE round a 90 We lacked conventional style but made up for it with flair and exuberance. Many time faults accumulated but that was more me than the horse

 

[millikins]

I follow Emily Gautiers on FB who competes a hackney at BE 90, I think she's aiming for 100 this season. He jumps everything but does look quite an exciting ride

 

[Rusty Rider]

A few years ago Horse and Hound did articles on famous horses, eventers and show jumpers from an earlier era and I noted with interest just how many had Arab not that far back in their breeding.

You don’t need to go far back in time - Anglo-Arabs (minimum 25% Arab blood for the main stud-book, 12.5 for the “complement” section) are very popular in French Eventing. Just looking at this week end’s results, the silver medalist in the 4*L at Kronenberg, Julie Simonet’s Sursumcord’Or, is an AA - and full brother to Astier Nicolas’ Alertamalib’Or. The same stud and sire (the legendary Yarlands Summersong (Fleetwater Opposition)) also produced Unum de’Or, who completed Badminton last year with Cedric Lyard. That’s just a few, there are a ton more

 

[Maxidoodle]

One of mine competed at BE90 with a new owner, he team chased too, he was a 16.3hh French Trotter. Fantastic jumper (I know of a few who turned out to be equally good, perhaps due to the big powerhouse bums).

 

[Snowfilly]

I know someone on FB did a BE80 with a Fjord, it looked amazing going over the jumps.

I show jumped a fjord for a winter while the owner was pregnant! Fun little pocket rocket, he’d pop round 90 all day long and he did a wonderful dressage test as well, no extension to speak of but he could collect and sit nicely and he’d offer a flying change with no trouble. I’m sure he would have gone BE, but he’s busy being a kid’s gymkhana pony now as he was stolen by her kids!

 

[ihatework]

I’m not sure I consider any breed unusual to be going around 90/100 to me that falls under the banner of an all rounder type. Native/cob/draught etc all fall into that bracket and there are plenty of successful examples day in day out.

It’s more as you go up the levels when they are less purpose bred and more happy accident. There are loads with 1/4 or so of something less common in the genes. I’ve known a number of Welsh D x TB be successful up through the levels, a couple at 5* but still they are 50% tb, so is it really THAT unusual?

I think what is more interesting is the general types at top level. Go walk around the stables at a 5* and in addition to the fancy ones - there is a good old number of weird and wonderful that as younger horses with wonky limbs or bucket heads probably wouldn’t have got a second glance

 

[Gloi]

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Snowdonia that Geoff Billington rode was nothing like the normal build of a showjumper but an amazing jumper.
Saw her in her next life as a broodmare and you wouldn't have thought she could do what she could.

 

[MagicMelon]

My Lusitano x TB did well Novice level, was an incredible jumper - a real SJ and XC machine. Dressage let us down as he had the luso high front leg action which judges dont really like.

 

[alexomahony]

I know of an appaloosa that went round Burghley a few times!

I guess the most obvious modern examples of top level are:

- Ben Hobday's big horse Mr Mulry
- there is a little grey out doing 5* who's no more than 15hands.... but I'm not sure of breeding

This is a fun article that's relevant: 11 mini eventing marvels that have defied their size - Horse & Hound (horseandhound.co.uk)

I bet there were many more examples when BE started at Novice and not the 80/90/100's. I'm not sure of the heights of the pony trails too but I bet some of those ponies could jump the bigger classes too!

 

[Orangehorse]

I’m not sure I consider any breed unusual to be going around 90/100 to me that falls under the banner of an all rounder type. Native/cob/draught etc all fall into that bracket and there are plenty of successful examples day in day out.

It’s more as you go up the levels when they are less purpose bred and more happy accident. There are loads with 1/4 or so of something less common in the genes. I’ve known a number of Welsh D x TB be successful up through the levels, a couple at 5* but still they are 50% tb, so is it really THAT unusual?

I think what is more interesting is the general types at top level. Go walk around the stables at a 5* and in addition to the fancy ones - there is a good old number of weird and wonderful that as younger horses with wonky limbs or bucket heads probably wouldn’t have got a second glance

That exactly. The lower levels should be in reach of "any" sort of horse or pony. It is the top level where more scope and speed is required, as well as now a good dressage too.
There have been many examples where a rider has ended up with a 5* horse simply because they couldn't sell it to anyone, so kept it and it went up the levels.

Years ago when you could go round the stables at Badminton on dressage days, there were many weird and wonderful horses in the stables and we would often wonder how they got to Badminton/stayed sound on those limbs!

 

[Celtic Fringe]

My son competed successfully up to BE Intermediate with a Anglo-arab x cob. Pony brain on a 16.1 body but was really difficult to keep fit at that level compared with a TB or warmblood. They were part of a BE regional under-18 team at the time and also did a lot of Pony Club etc. He always went in a simple snaffle bridle, loose cavesson noseband, no martingale and just some boots for jumping. He had the best piaffe of any horse I've even seen. Horse is now 23, mostly retired and absolutely full of nonsense in the field despite mild arthritis in his hocks!