For those with Connie crosses between 15 and 16 hh - what do you do with them?

nikicb

nikicb

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Just starting to gather my thoughts in terms of beginning to look for a horse for my ever growing 15 year old son and I to share. He wants to do PC stuff and I'd like to do a bit of dressage (including affiliated) and will probably join the local riding club and do clincs etc. I want something that's fairly sane, partly because I've done the nutty TB type and partly because it will live at home and I will often be riding when there's noone else around. I also don't really want anything any bigger than around 15.2 so it will need to be a chunky sort to cope with growing son (but, sorry, not hairy - I think they look stunning, but just don't want to deal with all the feathers etc.).

I'm thinking that a Connie cross would be the right type, so I'm interested to hear what you do with yours competition wise etc. I know everyone loves to talk about their horses, so fire away! :p

Thank you. :)
 
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Bought my ConnieXtb last year. Think she is about 15.1hh over the summer I did a few local show jumping shows, but my brother did hunt relays and some eventing on her (I was off a lot of the summer with a broken collar bone) and over winter I hunted her. Wow serious little hinting machine have jumped some rather large fences which she has flown, and she also goes at a pretty decent gallop!! Her tb side does come out at times ie standing still etc. but she seems to have v hard connie feet (my farrier reckons she could event without shoes). She is the first ConnieXtb I've had and I adore her, and now that alot of other pep really recommend them. Tbh I think a nativeXtb would be perfect for what you want, but we didn't go out looking for a particular breed eyc, just happened to hear about her, and she hadn't done much prior to me having her. My brothers HighlandXtb is also another brilliant machine alltho he does get a bit hairyer when allowed to.

Mine (fence abit small for her)
http://www.evespics.co.uk/2011 events/Kimblewick Hunt Bradmoor 15.11.11/HTML/img_9449.htm

My brothers horse (this was quite a tricky line to the fence)

http://www.evespics.co.uk/2010 events/VAGSB Old Dairy,Moreton 27.2.10/HTML/img_1177.htm
 
Mines a 14.2 connie cyber (but looks a hand bigger muscled up) i'm also an adult now so been out of pony stuff for ages. She's older now but in the past we've jumped upto foxhunters, pre novice eventing (in the days before be80, be90 etc, elementary bd, hunted, hunter trials, & working hunter. Never going to be on the Olympic team but imo conniex tbs are brilliant allrounders. Also have the bonus they're cheap to keep & are generally sane enough to have fun on. So you can go competing but still have fun doing open gymkhana at a local show! In all honesty mine couldn't have gone further jumping seniors as the striding became an issue over 1.20 but that wouldn't be a problem for a larger one. She probably could have done more bd but its never appealed to me that much. Also I found most older lady dressage judges seem to quite like them at lower levels. Has my essay convinced you connie x tb is the way to go lol?
 
My 14.2 pure bred has just poped round a 3' sj course today with some rather full up fences. He made nothing of it and gave them plenty of air. Bearing in mind he only started sj in jan last year so there's still plenty more to come from him. He's also doing a 90cm eventer trial in a few weeks for only his 3rd time xc. His flat work is still a work in progress but I'm fairly sure he could go elementary by now if he had a better jockey but we will get there in time.
 
Thanks all of you, that's great and what brilliant sounding horses. I'm not tied to a particular breed of horse but it helps to think about the breeds and crosses out there, and also makes it easier to narrow down some of the ads.

Interestingly enough this ad popped up over there ==> for me.

http://www.horseandhound.co.uk/clas....co.uk/forums/showthread.php_f2_t=527361&cc=1

What a shame she's not 10 years younger. Only down the road from me as well. :rolleyes: But it does give me an idea of the stuff they can do. :)
 
Are you sure you don't want to stretch to 16hh, I have a delightful connie x 7 yr old grey mare that would fit you bill. She has done a fair bit of dressage with me including RC teams, pet plan regionals and dressage regionals, jumped round 80 and 90cm and schooled around different xc courses being bold but sensible. Rides like a pony and cheap to run as happily lives out all year round if needed and requires very little feed! My non horsey husband can catch her and do her when necessary. Only contemplating selling as I am soon to be a granny and new grand child will be in Australia so I will want to be out there for long periods and so she would be totally wasted.
 
Well, I got my connie x TB as a 4 year old and he had just got some money on his card BSJA, that's what I wanted to do with him. I jumped him to Newcomer level by the age of 5/6 and then I went off to uni. He has since done BSJA, ODEs, XC, BE (ok, only intro cos I am chicken) and to be perfectly honest could have probably done a lot more had I not had those two years at uni when I didn't do much BSJA with him and then I lost my nerve a bit.

He is now 21 and still hacks out regularly - my mum hacks him out as well as me. He did the RC eventing champs aged 18 and loved it and he still likes going out competing although funnily we now prefer eventing to just straight showjumping. I would def have another, he's a real character - sod to handle on the ground sometime (just walks through you) but when on board ou are just safe. He's also a really different colour (golden dun) with a big white blaze so i have never seen another like him.

He is basically a pony the size of a horse - he was 15.3hh when i got him, I think he's just 16hh now.
 
My connie cross is amazing and I wouldnt swap him for anything! :)

He does exactly what you say you want, although mainly I now team chase and hunt, he's got all the jump in the world - but unfortunately the flatwork is a little lacking to get far in eventing :p ( still places local RC level).
 
Love my Connie x. Great fun and very bold. He'll jump anything out X country and hunting. The flat work is getting there. He's not very enthusiastic with it, but then niether am I ;) We do enough, and he does it well enough for what I want so I'm not fussed. He's genuine and safe, but still quirky enough to keep me on my toes. Love him to bits and wouldn't swap him.
 
I have a 15hh ISH - mare was a connie.

He is a fab allrounder and did some junior BS when he was younger. I have him to hunt which he lives for, but also do some RC events and fun rides in the summer. A friend borrowed him last summer whilst her mare was in foal and did have some sucess in the dressage arena, but find his talents lie more in jumping.

He is 16yrs but still going strong, so am hoping he will suit my son in a couple of years time to do PC etc.

15 hh is a lovely height as is a great mother/child size and mine certainly has enough bone to carry up to 12 stone comfortably. The connie side makes him hardy, with the tb providing the speed.

Good luck in your search!
 
Mine is a 16.2hh connie x tb, she is stunning to look at with a lovely calm temperament, still only a baby but we are doing rc dressage and clinics and just in the process of starting to jump.

A lovely uncomplicated tough pony x tb that can and will turn its hoof to most jobs

Love my girly to bits :D
 
Mine was 15.1hh i lost her 3 years ago aged 33, we did every thing lots of working Hnunter, SJ, endless summer hacking still doing sponsored rides in her 20s, i was lucky enough to loan her from a lady that bought her as a 2yo, she did a lot of dressage with her and took her to medium when dressage was not as popular as it is today, she was a one in a million, i was lucky enough to have her 21 years (if only i could have her all over again)
 
I've got a 15.1hh connie x tb, she's 27! And still does everything, hacking, schooling, xc, dressage, sj, team chases. She's fab had a full season hunting this year too. Never been sick, sorry lame. No vices, anyone can ride her (well apart from in a open field, then it's just gallop, no canter, lol) best horse ive ever had, had her 16 yrs now. I was 14 when I got her, never outgrew her, well a tad but not silly I'm 5'2 and normally ride 17hhers when not on mine. Love her to death
 
I have a 3/4tb 1/4 connie,

at the moment I just try and stay on!!!!!! I am hoping he will be awsome in the future though :)

I have a 100% 14'2 who has been the pony of a life time I do everything with him
 
I have a 15hh Conny x x tb (mum was a Conny x but IMO looks quite pure in pics just not reg). She's rather wide so takes up my 5ft 7 height and frame rather well. In the past I've done affiliated dressage with her, and I've done club shows bsja and some mini ODEs. I've loose schooled her over about 4ft6 ish quite well from a walk (she's not easy to loose school!) and is quite scopey, I just don't have the confidence to teach her and me at the same time (but were getting there slowly)
I'd have another Conny x tb any day, I love my mare she does everything I ask of her (mostly, she does have a stroppy tendency!) and more.
 
I've a 15.1hh 8yo connie cross.
He's an absolute star, does what ever I ask - hunting (whipped in and all!), hunter trialling, combined training, pony club, trec, show jumping (90cm - 1m easily), I've jumped 1.25cm triple bar on him at home. He's sensible out hacking in traffic, very uncomplicated etc. Sadly though Mum now wants me to sell him on as I'm getting a bit big and gangly on him :( but he's really a true star, worth his weight in gold in my opinion (though I may be biased!)
 
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I have a 14.1hh Connie x id. We hunt all winter, riding up front and out all day. She jumps all the timbers and would do the hedges but I'm a wuss! Xc schools, sj 3ft but has been known to clear 1.20 at home. Dressage at novice at home.

They do seem to take longer to mature this particular cross. She has only just finished growing (I hope!) This year age 7.
 
Wow - what a fantastic lot of horses you all have! :)

whatawizard said:
Are you sure you don't want to stretch to 16hh, I have a delightful connie x 7 yr old grey mare that would fit you bill. She has done a fair bit of dressage with me including RC teams, pet plan regionals and dressage regionals, jumped round 80 and 90cm and schooled around different xc courses being bold but sensible. Rides like a pony and cheap to run as happily lives out all year round if needed and requires very little feed! My non horsey husband can catch her and do her when necessary. Only contemplating selling as I am soon to be a granny and new grand child will be in Australia so I will want to be out there for long periods and so she would be totally wasted.
Click to expand...

She sounds lovely, but unfortunately you are a little far from me, at least for the beginning of my search. Good luck with your impending grandmotherhood! :)

ladyt25 said:
Well, I got my connie x TB as a 4 year old and he had just got some money on his card BSJA, that's what I wanted to do with him. I jumped him to Newcomer level by the age of 5/6 and then I went off to uni. He has since done BSJA, ODEs, XC, BE (ok, only intro cos I am chicken) and to be perfectly honest could have probably done a lot more had I not had those two years at uni when I didn't do much BSJA with him and then I lost my nerve a bit.

He is now 21 and still hacks out regularly - my mum hacks him out as well as me. He did the RC eventing champs aged 18 and loved it and he still likes going out competing although funnily we now prefer eventing to just straight showjumping. I would def have another, he's a real character - sod to handle on the ground sometime (just walks through you) but when on board ou are just safe. He's also a really different colour (golden dun) with a big white blaze so i have never seen another like him.

He is basically a pony the size of a horse - he was 15.3hh when i got him, I think he's just 16hh now.
Click to expand...

He sounds lovely - I quite fancy a dun. Especially having sons - grooming isn't their thing, and I think duns could hide a lot stains! :eek:

All the others sound fantastic characters and have done a wide variety of things. Thank you everyone for posting. :)
 
I used to own a Connie x Arab & she was a XC machine would go out & win everything she also enjoyed jumping, but her thing was XC.
 
My boy is a 15.2 connie X TB X ID!

Love him loads, done everything on him, from hunting to dressage, showjumping to long distance rides. Wouldn't change him for the world.
 
Old boy was a 15.2hh Connie x TB and the absolute horse of a lifetime. Lost him at 21 to a broken leg but his age would have been news to him and he'd still been doing XC, SJ, dressage and hacking. Total character and had a huge fan club. Loved him to bits and he gave so much.

Now have a 5 year old purebred with some very big boots to fill but so far also showing character(!) and definite potential both on the flat and jumping.
 
Also worth mentioning the fact that every connie x I've known seems to have inherited the basic connie temperament & attitude. I'm not saying I've done huge research on it so don't take my word as gospel but thought it is worth mentioning.
 
Our Connie, just has a plain passport so dont know what he is crossed with, he is on the slighty heavier side. About 15.1hh but rides bigger he is an absolute angel and so funny. I do RC ode, x country and sj up to 85cm, he could go bigger. My mum who is in her 60s hacks him out alone and even took him x country schooling. I downsized from a big scatty ISH best thing I ever did. I did have to look long and hard for ours but worth the effort, good luck:)
 
Another super connie x here! She is connie x (IDxtb), and is 15.3, though takes up your leg v well, no feather or hairyness either lol! Would agree with the above poster about the connie attitude - which she has in spades! She is a smart cookie, that gets you out of trouble along with the pony 5th leg, but if you let her walk over you then she would be such a devil! Totally harmless with it, but if you aren't bothered about having clear rules then she is quite happy to please herself!! Jumps like a stag and is bold, but as safe as houses too (tiny sister pops up for a pootle round!). That said, if you know your stuff then she will make sure you work properly, she doesn't tollerate idiots and is great fun to ride - certainly no plod! We do dressage, sj, pop stuff hacking and hack for hours, as well as some endurance. Lack of more jumping and eventing is totally down to my lack of balls, not her ability! She is absolutly brilliant, as tough as houses and would very happily live out.
DSC05434.jpg
 
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