Tell me about connemaras

asommerville

asommerville

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As a 5.7 30 year old with two horses, I'm potentially looking fir another next year after my wedding (both horses being broken). It's a toss up between a connie and a big hunter type. I want something to show, do workers and a bit if RC and ode. Can't really be bothered with a big horse though despite my height and age, it's more to try and hold on to! Can you tell me anything about connies and whether it would be worth thinking about, or would I be better with a horse? Not interested in one over height or a part bred as I would like to show. Thanks in advance.
 
Lots of connies about - some good others less so! Tend to fall into various types as well, worth having a look round at the different bloodlines. Lots of Irish imports some may be overweight. If you want to show you MUST check the passport - lots are advertised with a 'green book!" - this may be an Irish Sport Horse Passport rather than a BCPS one. If in doubt look on the BCPS website and phone/mail the secretary. A good one is fantastic especially if with enough bone and deep through the body - they can take up a lot of leg. Most will make good workers and perfectly possible to do flat and WHP - mine do/did as well as some eventing although seems quite rare to do both probably because of jockey interests. They can be late maturing --its worth waiting until they're four or five to break and then they will go on for ever. Will live in or out, you may find a cheap one but the good ones are more difficult to find than a horse and you'll probably have to pay for a top class one, good luck - the right pony will do whatever you want and a bit more as well!
 
5'2" 30yo got a 14hh connie last winter. She's 7 but really hadn't done anything before coming to me. In 8 months we've gone from not being able to ride a 20m circle to 80cm sj,doing a decent prelim dressage test, showing and fun rides (including 2'9" xc course!). Next wkend we're going to the beach. Love her to pieces - she'll do anything, approaches all questions with a can-do attitude and really has a love for life, going places and doing things. I am well and truly a convert!
 
Thanks folks any recommendation on what breeding to look into or avoid? Torn between a Connie or an ISH (not much difference) but ponies seem a bit less breakable!! (Hopefully)
 
If you're looking for a steadier type I'd go for one of the more cob-like type Connies.

There seems to be two types which are the more traditional (cobby) ones and the sportier (finer, more refined bodies) which seem to be bred for pinging over everything you put in their way!!
Lots to say about my Connie, had him a year now and absolutely adore him but don't not sure if he'd be the type you're interested in (he's sportier must-jump-everything type!)
 
asommerville said:
I would like a 'I will jump what you like and go where you ask type' ����
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I'd look at both and see what tickles your fancy. It's hard to work out exactly what type would suit since all the individual horses are going to be different. That said, every one of the sportier Connies I tried when I was looking to buy was VERY forward going. Not sure if that says more about my horses of choice or about that type tho!
 
Thanks very much, I have a very forward going Arab x (who has just been diagnosed as rather broken) so don't mind forward going but whatever I get would need to hack out alone for miles so I suppose that's an individual thing. What kind of weight can they carry? I'm under ten stone so hopefully wouldn't be too heavy!?
 
HI, I jumped my 148cm connie in adult BS classes, he was fine with the height but did struggle with distances, especially if the second part of a combination was an oxer. There are several competing in BE classes as well and one of mine competed successfully up to Elementary in BD classes. Mine were able to carry my then OH who was 6foot plus and not lightweight. They tend to come in wide, extra wide and 'OMG that is wide' so rider height tends not to be an issue.

I would totally recommend connies but then I am rather biased having owned both pure bred and part breds. They really are go anywhere and do anything ponies - if you get one that works with you. The British Connemara pony society has a sales page and there are loads on Horsequest.

Good luck with your search.
 
I'm nearly 10st and my Connie mare is 14.1 and she carries me fine. I've had her less than a year and we've been taking it slowly but she has the loveliest personality!! Kind and gentle with my daughter but has something about her too!!! She can jump brilliantly and won her first dressage test (an intro but still over 70%) and hacks alone or in company. She is a bit 'looky' but she's only young, but doesn't spin or rear or buck at all and is just a kind soul!!!

Love her to bits!!!

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I've got what I believe is a connie X (don't know what the X is... the dealer told me ID but I'd guess some sort of cob x X with connie). He's an absolute star and I cna't fault him. He's 15hh, I'm 5ft4 and weigh 9st6. I have someone who hacks him out a couple of times a week who must be about 5ft10 and while of course she looks tall on him, he has no problem with her.
He doesn't look like much so clearly not bred to show and I've no idea about his bloodlines. But he's transformed with a rider on. Lovely paces, great attitude as he just wants to get on and work. He'll turn his hand to anything - recently won his first ever Novice DR test, events (I did a couple of BE80s and plenty of UA 90s), done some Novice team chasing (even led the team!), hacks out alone for hours, sensible on a fun ride. He goes when you say go, stops when you say stop, jumps anything and everything if you say it's OK, hunts sensibly.

He can be sharp and can get worked up about things as he's a bit of a worrier sometimes but there is absolutely no malice in him. If you say something is fine, he accepts it. Wouldn't suit a novice as he does take confidence from his rider but as long as he knows you're with him, he'll try his heart out for you.

I tried a couple of pure bred showing connies before I bought him and must say I really disliked them. A friend said the same recently as she's tried some. We both commented we found them unwilling, lazy, sticky and poor jumping technique. I don't know if it was schooling issues in all cases but seems like coincidence we've both tried a few of that type and experienced the same thing. Mine is a much more sporty type and I much prefer it.
 
I would (and have done 4 times) go to Ireland. I have one v chunky overheight 15.2 as my own horse who is of the jump anything he is pointed out & couldn't care less if the jockey misses variety ....... moves well but it is quite hard work to get him off his shoulders as his natural way of going is rather like a snow plough, and his equally chunky but shorter brother for my daughter. That one is uber talented but much more over sensitive about the way he likes to be ridden into a fence. I also have a much finer and flashier one for my middle daughter, and one by the same sire for my son. He is potentially the best one of the lot as he naturally carries himself in a nice shape and has lovely elevated paces and an unbelievable jump, but he just hasn't had so much time spent on him as he arrived in poor condition with a sore back and we had to iron out some issues arising from that. He is now 6 and has a busy winter planned for him.All of them are v low maintenance to keep as they have rock hard feet, and live on a handful of Pure Feed Easy and second cut hay even though they are working quite hard (they all hunt, event, jump, dressage, do the PC & RC teams, hack beautifully alone & in company and one has been a superstar playing PC polo this summer). IMO they are the ultimate versatile all-rounder and mine are very straightforward to handle and do - they load themselves, travel beautifully, couldn't give a stuff about traffic, are brilliant to clip/for the farrier/vet will stand on or tied up to a lorry at an event all day, live out in the most inclement weather without batting an eyelid and have bothered about the hectic comings & goings in our yard (noisy piglets screaming to be fed, guinea fowl, ducks and chickens clattering in and out of their stables, a owl being free flown suddenly swooping at them, alpacas galloping about next to them and so on. Can you tell I'm a fan???!
 
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We have a sporty Connie X (possibly TB), 15.3hh, and she is fabulous - not whizzy in the slightest. We got ours just landed from Ireland at a dealers yard.

Would definitely have another :)
 
DEFINATLEY! I had a connie pony who was a naughty little thing but I loved him and was a fantastic hunter. Then had a flashy warmblood on loan who was the biggest pain ever!
Now bought a 15hh class one connie who is the best horse I have ever owned! He does everything! I hunt, team chase, pony club, event, show jump and do working hunter on him and he is fab at all of them!!
He is so easy to look after but performs like a big horse and seems to think he is about 17hh judging by his jump!
All winter he only had front shoes and have only just put front shoes on so that I can stud up for eventing.

He can be very spooky, but I think that is just him rather than the breed, most are good doers, although mine seems to need a fair amount of conditioning feed during the winter but is in quite heavy work.

I really can't recommend them highly enough! Just make sure you get a good one as they can be quite stubborn, but once they learn they seem to remember it well.

Height wise I'm 5"6 and I don't look big on him at all.

He also recently jumped through a barbed wire fence and hedge as he was terrified on a hack and cut himself up, he didn't seem to car at all not In the slightest bit lame and hacked home happily!!
 
Cannot beat a connie & connie x they are so so versatile & such lovely characters too :)

I have 2 3 year olds in atm, 1 connie & 1 connie x tb & I'm very excited for next year with them. On the other hand i do adore my id x tb too, she's so sane but still a cracking mover with a good pop ! :)

I'm a fan of anything irish if I'm honest!!
 
Connie all the way. Mine's Irish and leans towards the Spanish influence, is compact and bouncy, huge fun and far braver than me. We used to do affiliated workers very successfully, he hates dressage but schools well and jumps anything, oober safe on the road and nannies the youngsters. I'm no Barbie at 5'9 and 14st but he makes no bones about carrying me all day.
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