Connemaras and crosses- Anyone have one? :)

Switcheroo

Switcheroo

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Would just like to take a moment to gush about how much I love this breed; I have a 3/4 Connie and he is just a little star. Forward, eager to learn, and always tries his hardest. Never acts up or is bad, nasty or malicious. Also a clever little ****** when I'm told by my YO that he opened a gate in the field to let other horses in? A furball in the winter with a cheeky, youthful personality that I just love.

My boy is only a youngster but I know we'll have a lot of fun together. Anyone else with a lot to say for connies or connie crosses?
 
Absolutely the best ponies ever. I have a 23yr old connie x tb. She is the most brilliant pony ever. Full of character & the 'gold dust' pony everyone wants. She is beyond perfect. And in a couple of years, I intend getting another either connie x tb or full connie to bring on for my daughter to have in her teens. It's not just because of mine though, all I've met combine the safety & ease of a native pony, but with the same advantages of a sportier type. Admittedly they won't make the Olympics, but neither do a lot of horses & riders. I really can't rate them enough, they're great.
 
i have a 3.5 yr old pure Connie... sweet boy loves being fussed and having attention nothing seems to faze him can be very cheeky at times he has the i love me who do u love attitude he was broke once he turned 3 has been left since august living out he was such a gem to break took everything in his stride .... he will be back in now mid/late Jan to be restarted for his 4 yr old show season can't wait on phone at mo but once i get laptop will put up a pic
 
In the last year I started working with Connie's and part Connie's. I'm totally sold. My next horse will be one I breed for me. A Connie stallion on my warmblood/TB mare. I think I'll have the best of everything!

Terri
 
Switcheroo said:
Would just like to take a moment to gush about how much I love this breed; I have a 3/4 Connie and he is just a little star. Forward, eager to learn, and always tries his hardest. Never acts up or is bad, nasty or malicious. Also a clever little ****** when I'm told by my YO that he opened a gate in the field to let other horses in? A furball in the winter with a cheeky, youthful personality that I just love.

My boy is only a youngster but I know we'll have a lot of fun together. Anyone else with a lot to say for connies or connie crosses?
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Hmm, yes i have a connie x TB I have owned for 17 years and he has always been able to open stable doors, gates etc. Saturday night all but one of our 5 horses were somehow in the stable yard (their 12 acres of field obviously wasn't adequate!). We are pretty sure who was likely to have been responsible for opening the little latch gate to get in!
 
Never had one but really like them.

Some of them seem to move up the levels in dressage pretty successfully. I want a WB X connie or a TB X connie for my next horse.
 
I have 3 connies (1 for each of my daughters, and 1 for myself) that are doing a very good job of filling the space left by my brilliant connie x TB who was PTS aged 31 afterI had had 20 years with him. At the moment my pure bred babies aren't quite as opinionated and quick to take an inch as he was, but 2 of them at least have a very keen sense of humour. I knew that those 2 would have to investigate the cardboard box I was carrying across thir field, and completely predictably one peeled off the "Fragile" tape that was wrapped around it, got it stuck to his chin and then chased his brother with it (brother is a year older but a complete wuss about such things). Much hilarity and enjoyable hooning about ensued!
 
My first pony was a connemara x Arab and he was the sweetest little thing ever, with a phenomenal jump on him!

My current is a pure Connie by earl of newbridge. He came over from Ireland in July last year, was backed and then I bought him in December :) really would not swap him for the world. Beat breed in my opinion! if you click on the thumbnails you can see the full image :)





(I hope they've worked - on phone so can't preview!)
 
I have just got a connie x ID/TB 3.5 year old. She is gorgeous and looks and moves like a warmblood! She is gonna be big too at already 15.2hh and still growing. Plan is to back her in the spring ready for a dressage career!
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I am also taking on 2 of her half sisters to back and sell next spring/ summer for the breeder! both bay mares, both to make 15- 15.2hh and one is connie x warmblood and the other connie x tb. I think the connie x warmblood is gonna be really special :) So excited!
 
Love said:
My first pony was a connemara x Arab and he was the sweetest little thing ever, with a phenomenal jump on him!

My current is a pure Connie by earl of newbridge. He came over from Ireland in July last year, was backed and then I bought him in December :) really would not swap him for the world. Beat breed in my opinion! if you click on the thumbnails you can see the full image :)





(I hope they've worked - on phone so can't preview!)
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Ahh My sisters new pony is also by Earl of Newbrigde he is call Earl of Eskeragh I love connies they are the best ever !Mines connie too :)
 
Lovely to hear of everyone's positive experiences of connemaras :) Also really gorgeous pictures, thanks for sharing everyone.

Was going to include pics and info in my original post but my desktop wouldn't allow it! Here we are now. This is my 3/4 connie youngster. He was sired by Rocky Cashel out of Currachmore Cashel who is apparently a very famous stallion in Ireland. I bought him for his lovely personality though, not the ability of his sire/grandsire!

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On his summer holidays with a belly full of grass to boot! :p

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One of our first baby jumps we did together on friday. Big step for me; I wasn't looking for a youngster in the first place and sometimes its great to have the experience of a veteran sitting between your legs when it comes to jumping! I had a bad accident last winter and haven't jumped much since after really hurting myself. But I trust him lots, and he's proving to love jumping as connies do. Apologies for the really blurry photo!

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Any more pictures people? Would love to see more of these connie/TB crosses.
 
My connie x tb was also fab - he started life as a junior BS pony (although measures in at 15hh!), and had substantial winnings.

When I took him on I introduced him to hunting which he adored and was so nice to be on a horse that you had 100% confidence in to not just jump everything, but to be clever and careful and always bring you home safely.

I decided to semi-retire him at 17yrs as developed mild copd, so hunting our hills was becoming too much for him, but a friend has taken him on as a happy hack and he does this job equally well.

Would love another one day!
 
rowy said:
I have just got a connie x ID/TB 3.5 year old. She is gorgeous and looks and moves like a warmblood! She is gonna be big too at already 15.2hh and still growing. Plan is to back her in the spring ready for a dressage career!
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!
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shes a lovely colour! I wanted a mare earlier in the year but ended up with my gelding! hes 2.5 and already 16'1 at the bum :s GIANT
 
I have a 15hh Connie gelding he is 6, only had him a month but he has settled in so easily and has a great character coming out, also a lovely smooth ride :)
 
One of mine is registered irish sports horse has loads of Connie
In him , brave powerhouse to
Jump!! Fun and quirky but will look after u !! Best horse I have ever owned will buy this breed ten times over !! X
 
I have a 5yr old which is only 1/8th connie and 7/8th TB but he has enough to be a 16hh palomino, its given him some decent bone, turning into a fab eventer.
 
Switcheroo said:
Kerrie- Your oldie looks fabulous for her age!

Rowy- gorgeous steely colouring on your connie cross. Looking very flashy in red.
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thank you! she's amazing, recently had a lump removed from her face, which wasn't cancerous, thankfully! I took her in hand for a walk on sunday and christ she was mental! so on wednesday we are going to go and blow out the cobwebs once she's had her shoes redone! I always feel bad coz she's old but she loves going out! gets so bored when she doesnt go out!
 
I couldn't ask for a better partner in crime than my connie x. While he hates schooling and is distinctly uninspired by all arena based activities he's a diamond on the hunting field and has never had a fault XC. On the ground his manners are second to non and he wouldn't ever dream of intentionally depositing me. He's a pocket rocket at only 14.3hh but he'll jump anything I point him at and will always get us out of trouble with his quick thinking pony brain and is very sure footed. He's very bold and will take me into any fence even when everything else has stopped in front of him. He's at his happiest hacking out and we have marvelous fun "exploring" on our long hacks his second favourite activity after hunting.

He's not a particularly cuddly pony - he's far too much of a "man" for that but he does have a distinct sense of humour and is everybody's best friend.

For a "fun" pony I wouldn't want anything else, but for serious competing I have bought a youngster with a very different brain - but I've stayed within native x didn't want to lose the pony brain though. The Connie was far too "switched on" for dressage it was boring, so he spiced it up by being daft and nonchalent. His show jumping's hit and miss - he has all the talent in the world it just depends whether he can be bothered to pick himself up, or whether he's going to see how far he can pole fling instead...! We either get a double clear and win, or if the first fence goes we're headed well towards a cricket score and every other pole will fly, regardless of how perfect the round is otherwise. The pony never touches a XC or hunt fence though - he know's they're solid... ;)

Despite all this I love him to bits and he's got a home for life - although he's very upset about all the cancelled hunt meets at the moment!
 
This is mine:

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taken in June when he was just 4. He is so much chunkier and is about 2 inches bigger (bum high again) so I suspect he will make 14.2hh (he is just 14hh now).

He is fun; sensible for a 4 yr old, can be a bit nappy hates schooling with a passion and insists on going fast everywhere (why trot when canter is easier and more fun?)

He isnt what I would have normally picked but after years of TBs with special needs it is nice to be able to just get on something and go out for a blast. If I dont ride him for 2 weeks I dont have to lunge/school before going out and he is really an affectionate little thing, even though he doesnt really get much attention. I still havent come to terms with having a grey yet (how does he manage to get mud underneath the rug?)

I had dun 14.2hh connie as my first pony - he was fab; loved jumping and was generally just good fun.
 
Only had one Connemara X and he was the best. The other quarter was probably TB. I got him when I was 13, and hunted him up to my marriage 9 years later. He came with a lot of attitude and my first few days' hunting (which is what he'd been bought for) were a nightmare. Then the huntsman took pity on me, told me to tuck myself in behind him and do what he did. We jumped everything in sight, glued to the heels of the hunstman's horse - and never looked back.

If only I was light enough to ride one now! They are probably the best x-breeds you can get. Somebody said on here "they won't get to the Olympics". I thought the imcomparable Stroller (Mexico Olympics) was part Connie. I know he was only about 14.2, and if he hadn't had an infection of some sort (he still competed) he would probably have won Gold.
 
Have just Googled Stroller and Marion Coakes - brought it all back. He was bought in a job-lot from Ireland, and was 14.2 - he won the Silver Medal at the Mexico Olympics, only beaten by Bill Steinkrauss of the USA on Snowbound. Stroller had a split and decayed upper tooth, and was a poorly pony. In the team event he put in the only refusal of his life, and then fell. He won many other major events, and died at the age of 36.
 
Well you don't need to go back to the days of Stroller for an Olympic Connie cross.

There was one in London. Portersize Just A Jiff. He was on the Irish Eventing team. Had our best dressage score and was going clear CC within the time until a crashing fall 2 or 3 out. He's an amazing little horse and its his sire, Crosskeys Rebel, I'm thinking of using.

Terri
 
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