Offered for full loan to a competition home, owing to pregnancy. Ideally to stay at current yard (near Wareham), however, this may be negotiable to the perfect home.
7yo sports horse gelding, approximately 16hands (although he is incredibly deep and seems larger). Pongo has been started slowly and has not been rushed in anyway, owing to his continued growing and me having a baby. However, this has given him time to mature mentally and physically and fill out correctly. Backed by myself (whilst pregnant), he has been very uncomplicated throughout. I have been able to pick him up and put him down without any issues, and he genuinely just wants to please.
This horse is bred to event, his dam is 3/4 sibling to Opposition Buzz and his sire did some grassroots eventing before concentrating on dressage. Pongo only started jumping last year but is proving to be quite brave and straightforward. He has been out to arena sj and arena XC hire where he surprised me with how genuinely unfazed he was - jumping fillers, water trays etc. first time. Has seen XC fences and I truly believe he has the ability to be a future event horse.
Hacks alone, or in company, he is used to farm machinery/quarry trucks/cows etc. Pongo has three good paces and a naturally good rhythm, he would equally make a pure dressage horse. He is always snaffle mouthed - he’s slightly more whoa than go - and requires no ‘gadgets’. As easy as he has been, he will not be loaned to a novice as he is still young and developing.
He has been out to one dressage competition, where he won his first class and was second in his second class, with some lovely comments from both judges. He was completely relaxed about the whole event - first time seeing white boards and he didn’t even get the opportunity to warm up as we were late!
Last weekend he attended Dorset County Show to do a couple of showing classes, which I would not have taken any other inexperienced horse to (especially whilst pregnant!). He behaved really well, just going slightly green at times, gaining a 2nd and 6th in the Sports Horse Classes, and a 4th in the riding club class.
Asides from his ridden ability, this boy is a very sweet and friendly person. He comes to call in the field, and is fantastic to handle - I juggle him alongside the dog and baby in pram! He is good with the farrier, good to clip and to travel (never travelled in a trailer). Pongo is currently living out at night, although will require stabling during the winter - he can be stressed if left in on his own.
This is an incredibly heartbreaking decision, and something that I have been putting off for a while. However, a horse like this needs to be out competing and that I something that I’m not in the position to do right now.
