2023 RC/WHP/All-rounder prospect ⏐ SPSS Graded ⏐To make c14.3hh

Linda Dykes in Leominster

Height: 14.3hh

Age: 2 years old

Colour: Appaloosa

Breed: Sports Pony

Gender: Mare

Type: Horse

Discipline: Youngstock , Riding Club and All-Rounder

Description: Is this the Goldilocks equine partner you are looking for? Not too big, not too small, not too sharp, not too slow, and not too bay… Custom-bred to make a higher-level RC all-rounder for the competitive amateur rider, take a look at Widgeon Hill Ceilidh. ◆ Not a warmblood, not a hairy pony, but a perfect package in between: a small Sports Horse to make approx 14.3hh. ◆ Please note - this advert originally stated she was to make 15/15.1. This has changed because, very embarrassingly, I discovered my measuring stick was not locked out to full length, and I was accidentally adding 2" to the height of all my horses! But this does mean she will stay in height for WHP or Mounted Games, so if that's your thing, read on! ◆ Brave and athletic (and loved her first experiences loose jumping!) but with pony-derived cleverness, sure-footedness and hardiness. ◆ Economical to keep: relatively compact, lives off of fresh air, and can happily live out all year! You’ll probably be able to keep her barefoot, too… just think of the savings there: she’d pay for herself in less than 8 years! 😉 ◆ She will have more than enough "go" to be a serious prospect for higher-level RC competitions in any (or all) disciplines, and enjoy in the moment.... rather than a horse that's a Bit Too Much making riding into Type 2 fun ◆ Who wants a boring bay? You’ll stand out from the crowd on a beautiful dun appaloosa with one blue eye and Tina Turner-style stripy hair! Better still, you don’t need to wash her mane and tail before competing. Because they’re a mixture of white, black and golden brown hair, nobody will have any idea whether they are clean or not 😂 ◆ And last but definitely not least, she has an adorable personality and absolutely loves cuddles and fuss Ceilidh’s breeding - whilst unusual - was very carefully planned. She is by the Highland pony Balmoral Sport, out of the ApHC-registered and SPSS-graded mare Chamfron Chipita, who is herself from very versatile American Appaloosa and Quarter Horse bloodlines (including a good dose of TB). Ceilidh’s super conformation, movement, soundness and temperament earned her a Gold award at the recent British Breeding Futurity (native/part-bred native section) and, despite being only two, she is already an SPSS graded mare. She was also awarded SPSS Youngstock Evaluation Premium status as a yearling. ◆ Registered and passported as a part-bred Highland ◆ Eligible for over-stamping by the UK ApHC as a part-bred ◆ Sports Pony Studbook Society graded into the main mare studbook ◆ Currently standing about 14.1hh - likely to finish approx 14.3hh ◆ Up to date with everything, good to trim feet, groom, bath, lead, tie, load (hesitates for a moment then walks in), travel, catch etc. ◆ Happy to stand on the lorry at events ◆ Been to several large county shows and behaved beautifully, including at the Royal Welsh as a yearling ◆ Well-established groundwork (leading, back-up, yielding shoulders and hind-quarters) ◆ Has been for a few hacks in-hand with a ridden horse and behaved very sensibly, plus some relaxed educational outings such as going to a Horse Agility lesson, boxing to a nearby village to walk through the ford, and a trip out to a round pen lesson. ◆ Used to dogs, cats, and poultry underfoot; has been turned out next to sheep and cattle ◆ Lives out naked 24/7, but stables (and wears rugs) happily prior to shows and events ◆ Open to vet: super soundness mark of 8.5/10 in the recent Futurity evaluation veterinary inspection (with 8.75 for "future soundness") ◆ Please note that Ceilidh has one blue eye and one brown eye so if you can't stand horses with blue eyes, swipe left! I bred Ceilidh as a retirement pony for me, but have reluctantly accepted that as a quick-thinking, athletic and very intelligent small sports horse she is more suited to a more competitive and ambitious rider than I (maybe a mother/teenager share?) to produce and later excel in RC competitions, rather than expecting her to be the laid-back more-whoa-than-go conveyance I'll need if I'm to ride into my 70s... especially because I also have a Fell youngster meeting that exact spec and I won't be able to keep both of them after I retire. The right home is very important. I am looking for a home experienced with groundwork and ideally with youngsters: Ceilidh needs a kind, consistent handler who can reinforce respectful boundaries. She is a friendly and affectionate filly who comes to call, loves being groomed and pampered, and once she feels secure in your leadership she will try very hard to please you. She learns very quickly. She needs a “doing” home, I doubt she will be the kind of horse you can only ride once a month (another reason she isn’t right for me). Whilst I'd love her to have a home who intend to compete in their chosen discipline(s) when the time comes, Ceilidh having a happy life and being enjoyed by her new owner is more important. I am also keen that she has a home able to provide daily turnout with equine friends - she is perfectly happy to be left in the field when her mates are taken out to be ridden, but I strongly believe horses need to live with other horses. I am not averse to Ceilidh being purchased as a project for someone to bring on and re-sell later in her training - I am aware the pool of keen RC riders who are in a position to take on an unbacked youngster is fairly limited! Ceilidh’s dam only competed occasionally purely due to my lack of time, energy and inclination, but evented up to 90cm, did SJ, arena eventing, hunter trials, County-level showing (spotted and Foreign breed classes), and dressage (only to Novice, but she would easily have gone further with a more competitive rider). She was borrowed for PC regional dressage teams, and approved for para riders to use in RDA dressage competitions which she did to regional and national level. Ceilidh will be similarly versatile. Whilst Ceilidh was bred to be a useful riding horse rather than a broodmare, she could provide a total outcross to any breeding programme. Depending on stallion choice, she could produce sports ponies, amateur-friendly RC all-rounders, or larger, higher-octane sports horses with a dash of native pony blood if she were crossed to a TB or warmblood. Genetically, she is a bay dun appaloosa: any offspring would have a 50% chance of being spotted and a 50% chance of being dun (higher if bred to a dun and/or spotted stallion). Any offspring would be eligible for a SPSS passport. I’m offering Ceilidh at a reduced price now, just in case the perfect new owner is looking for a quality youngster to bond with over winter, prior to starting under saddle next year. If not sold, she will be re-offered next year after being backed. NB - please note - I will reply to any texts/emails/WhatsApp messages as quickly as I can, but it may not be until late evening. It’s rare that I can answer the phone in office hours. Futurity photos - Tanja Davis Photography

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Linda Dykes

Leominster

I’m a full time NHS worker trying to pursue the #smallholdingdream around work… it can be quite challenging to answer phone calls during my erratic working hours so email/text/WhatsApp easiest in first instance!

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