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

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: Custom-bred to make a higher-level RC all-rounder for the competitive amateur rider, take a look at Widgeon Hill Ceilidh.... is she the Goldilocks equine partner you are looking for? Not too big, not too small, not too sharp, not too slow, and not too bay… and I'm happy to consider offers from suitable homes whilst Ceilidh is in her muddy winter woolies, and before she is started. ◆ Not a warmblood, not a hairy pony, but a perfect package in between: a small Sports Horse to make approx 14.3hh. ◆ Brave and athletic (loved her first and only experience of loose jumping for the videos!) but with pony-derived cleverness, sure-footedness and hardiness. ◆ Economical to keep: relatively compact, lives on fresh air, and can happily live out all year! You’ll probably be able to keep her barefoot, too. ◆ She will have more than enough "go" to be a serious prospect for higher-level RC competitions in any (or all) disciplines that you can enjoy in the moment.... rather than a horse that's a Bit Too Much who makes riding into Type 2 fun and makes you question why you do it at all. ◆ Who wants a boring bay? You’ll stand out from the crowd on a beautiful dun appaloosa with one blue eye and a stripy mane! Better still, you don’t need to wash her mane and tail before competing... 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 2025 British Breeding Futurity (native/part-bred native section) where she was the top-scoring 2yo at the Bromyard event. And despite being barely two on grading day, she is already graded into the SPSS studbook, building on her SPSS Youngstock Evaluation Premium award gained 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 (range 14.2-15hh) ◆ Up to date with everything, good to trim feet, groom, bath, lead, tie, load (hesitates for a moment then walks in), 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) - although like most youngsters she does need reminding of her manners at times. ◆ 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 is currently running in a herd of seven horses and one cow! ◆ Lives out naked 24/7, but stables (and wears rugs) happily prior to shows and events. ◆ Scored highly in the vet inspection at Futurity with super marks of 8.5/8.75 for current/future soundness and is of course open to vetting ◆ 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). 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. 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 not averse to her 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 qualified as an RDA para dressage pony, which she did to regional and national level. Ceilidh will be similarly versatile. Whilst Ceilidh was bred to be a riding horse for a keen amateur, 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 like herself, 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. Ceilidh's price is negotiable to the right home at this point, before we begin starting her in early Spring. The price will firm up once her training is underway, and go up once she is backed and ridden away and her ridden CV starts to build. ◆ Please note - this advert originally stated she was to make 15/15.1. This has changed because, 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, if that's your thing! 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

Advertise with us

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!

Report Advert

Browse by Breed

View All Breeds

Browse by Discipline

View All Disciplines

Mobile App About Us Terms & Conditions Privacy Policy Contact

Whickr Group Limited is an Introducer Appointed Representative of Agria Pet Insurance Ltd who administer the insurance and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, Financial Services Register Number 496160. Agria Pet Insurance is registered and incorporated in England and Wales with registered number 04258783. Registered office: First Floor, Blue Leanie, Walton Street, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, HP21 7QW. Agria insurance policies are underwritten by Agria Försäkring.