Where to look for a Connemara foal/youngster

Silver Clouds

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I am currently trying to relocate (house purchase delayed by CV19), but if everything goes ahead as planned then I will be looking for a Connemara youngster in the autumn (I should be moving by the end of June, fingers crossed). I have been offered the opportunity for a youngster to live with a friends homebreds until it is broken (then it will come to live with my remaining horse and companion), so have a good setup for a young horse. I would be looking for a colt foal from this year's crop (after weaning obviously), or possibly a slightly older youngster, and it definitely has to be a registered Connemara, to make 14hh+. I want something smart and well put together, with the aim of doing some in-hand breed showing until under saddle, and then possibly some county-level ridden classes and M&M Working Hunter. My current Connemara is very laid back, so would be looking for something from calm parents (I'm not after one of the whizzy SJ Connies!).

Can anyone recommend a breeder within a 3hr drive of Taunton (which is where my friend is based)? I know I can wait to see what comes on the market in a few months time, but I am aware that some of the better foals are sold before weaning. The youngsters I had previously were not natives, and I bought my current Connemara aged 5, so I thought recommendations may be a good start in looking for this one!
 

Silver Clouds

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Thank you all of you for your suggestions, I will have a good look into them :).

Cloudcomet- the Tulira ponies look a nice sort (have only had a quick look at the website but will look further) and it is particularly nice that there are no photo's of overweight ponies (I hate seeing obese brood mares- one breeder told me a couple of years ago that they didn't know why their mares got laminitis if they weren't bred from every year!). It looks as though they are bred in Ireland though and broken in England by Tulira before being sold, so possibly not what I was after, but I will check further to make sure I've got that right.

Asha- I can't see the pictures on the Eden Wood website so will have to try looking in my lunch break at work (better internet connection). Your location says Cheshire though so that may be a bit further than I was planning to ideally travel, but would be worth it for the right pony.

Scewal- does your vet advertise them anywhere or do they tend to go via word of mouth?

Minesadouble- stupidly I knew about Henrietta Knight's ponies but assumed she was further away (have no idea why!) thanks to you mentioning it I had a look at the website and it's Oxfordshire and I used to live in that area so it would have the bonus of being an easy drive! Her ponies seem to have the lovely head that I particularly like (you can see some of the Arab ancestry)

Although I want something well put together it doesn't need to be from a professional breeder so am happy to look at small/non-professional breeders with only one or two foals a year as well as professional studs (my current lovely Connemara came from a lady who only bred one or two a year, sadly she has retired).
 

DabDab

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Thank you all of you for your suggestions, I will have a good look into them :).

Cloudcomet- the Tulira ponies look a nice sort (have only had a quick look at the website but will look further) and it is particularly nice that there are no photo's of overweight ponies (I hate seeing obese brood mares- one breeder told me a couple of years ago that they didn't know why their mares got laminitis if they weren't bred from every year!). It looks as though they are bred in Ireland though and broken in England by Tulira before being sold, so possibly not what I was after, but I will check further to make sure I've got that right.

I think they wound up a lot of their UK breeding a couple of years ago. I bought mine from them as part of a dispersal sale group sent to sales. Nice ponies though and worth a call to see if they do still breed a few a year
Mine is stocky and solid with a broad, well sprung rib cage, approx 14.2hh:
20200524_095722.jpg
 

gallopingby

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I am currently trying to relocate (house purchase delayed by CV19), but if everything goes ahead as planned then I will be looking for a Connemara youngster in the autumn (I should be moving by the end of June, fingers crossed). I have been offered the opportunity for a youngster to live with a friends homebreds until it is broken (then it will come to live with my remaining horse and companion), so have a good setup for a young horse. I would be looking for a colt foal from this year's crop (after weaning obviously), or possibly a slightly older youngster, and it definitely has to be a registered Connemara, to make 14hh+. I want something smart and well put together, with the aim of doing some in-hand breed showing until under saddle, and then possibly some county-level ridden classes and M&M Working Hunter. My current Connemara is very laid back, so would be looking for something from calm parents (I'm not after one of the whizzy SJ Connies!).

Can anyone recommend a breeder within a 3hr drive of Taunton (which is where my friend is based)? I know I can wait to see what comes on the market in a few months time, but I am aware that some of the better foals are sold before weaning. The youngsters I had previously were not natives, and I bought my current Connemara aged 5, so I thought recommendations may be a good start in looking for this one!
As already mentioned the Stavelelys www.eastlandsstud.co.uk have Youngstock for sale and have foals as well. Ponies have lovely temperaments and are allowed to run on naturally. Sadly they are more than 3 hours away being not far from Carlisle but transport could be arranged as plenty people up and down each week. Worth giving Dianna a ring to see what’s available.
 

Silver Clouds

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DabDab- Your pony looks lovely, I will investigate to see if they are still breeding.

Abby-Lou and GallopingBy- thank you for your suggestion, I will look into Eastlands Stud too.

Thank you for all your suggestions, I am so glad I asked on here as it's nice to know that people would recommend these breeders (rather than just going by the stud's marketing). The HHO posse always seem to be able to help! :)
 
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