Jumping Mare already taking significant ribbons: 2015 Millstreet 4yr Discovery Reserve Champion and, this year, 2016 Millstreet 5yr Old Finalist
For Sale on Horse Scout
Home bred 5 year old jumping mare with a respectable purse of over £300 and recent 5* vetting. She currently jumping 1.25m and her Irish breeders andante producers have lightly competed her through 4 and 5 year old classes. She has the scope to easily step up into 1,30m classes and they are confident of her ability to come through very well as a six year old.
This attractive mare shows a ‘will do’ attitude to her work and has shown herself as careful and very genuine with lots of scope to progress in the years ahead. She will make someone a wonderful competition prospect for the coming season.
She is expected to make 16hh so would be suitable for the smaller rider looking for a genuine jumping horse for sale.
Vivendi Time certainly has the performance breeding to back her obvious breeding:
Her Sire is Ars Vendi (Accord II) and her dam is by Trytime, (v. Numero Uno, World Ranked top 10 sires for 10 years) a very successful sire in the Irish Jumping scene who only covered 50 mares.
Did you know that Horse Scout hosts many top professional producers our mainstream breeders and gives you access to the top class competition horses for sale and breeding stallions at stud from around the world. If you are looking to buy a horse or breed your own Horse Scout is the best place you could be looking.
Zazou Snow: A striking Novice Event Horse, with considerable scope to progress, is for sale through Aaron Millar from his yard Aaron Millar Eventing at Court Farm in Dorset, and also advertised on the Horse Scout Horses For Sale pages. This bold gelding with a careful but scopey jump has been producing consistently across country. Aaron says that he has a super temperament and is very easy to do, always a bonus when with the Farrier or being clipped! He is a happy versatile horse who is as happy living out as in and has proved popular on Aarons yard. A great choice as a mother daughter share or for a teenager who is coming off ponies. He is fit, ready to compete and ready for his next five star home.
By Concorde, this flea bitten grey thoroughbred X is the perfect size as a mother daughter share of for the smaller rider, standing at 16hh he is connected to three of Horse Scouts Stallions at Stud namely:
Nameless Rstanding for The Stallion Company and for Select Stallions so feel free to look at these horses through either this link or this one.
Aaron also has another lovely coloured horse, April Shower, who is also 16hh and is currently ridden by a light weight girl so a viewing of both horses would give potential buyers the choice. This young mare is snaffled mouthed in all three phases and has been XC schooling and has hunted in for a season Ireland and completed some training shows. this attractive 5 year old has three smart paces making her a dream horse for a competitive teenager and an easy ride for Mum!
The Dorset-based rider gives his tips on training young event horses and explains how he’s building up a stable of top horses after a tragic road accident in 2015.
You had a serious car crash in 2015, are you fully recovered and what are your main goals?
Yes, I’m lucky… I’m now concentrating on building up the business. I lost quite a few horses to other riders after the accident – you can’t expect owners to wait for you to recover but it’s also taught be to rejig the business and I now have shares in all the horses.
So how are you building the business back up?
I have someone in Ireland who sends horses over. Anything good enough to go to the very top we keep. Anything else we keep, produce and sell. The plan is to have a top string of horses at all levels and to achieve that I’ve set up a syndicate of owners. Sarah Wild, a lady who used to work on Wall Street, helped me create an amazing business plan to offer investors.
And you also offer a scheme, Affordable Eventing, whereby you don’t have to invest large amounts of money?
Yes, it’s aimed at people who love the sport but can’t afford to be an owner. You invest a monthly fee, get the similar benefits as if you were the owner, but instead you have an interest in four horses that run. You get a day a month at the yard watching them trained, free entry to all BE fixtures and a share of the profit if they’re sold.
Tell us about your main horse.
I have a good advanced horse Leonardo VIII (Leo) who I compete at 3 star and who I’ve produced since a four-year-old. He’s 13 (2003) out of a TB mare and Dutch stallion (Maximillian Voltucky). He’s a real character and loves his job. He’s done Blenheim, placed in advanced classes.
Tell us about your other horses.
I could have bought a couple of really good established horses with the money from investors, but then there’s the risk that if one goes lame, there’s only one running, so instead I’ve chosen four or five top five-year-olds.
They’ve got serious potential….William Fox Pitt asked to buy a couple but they’re not for sale unless I get offered a ridiculous price I can’t refuse!
Friendship VDL is a 16.3hh six-year old gelding by Azteca VDL. He’s had some good placings at BE100.
Galoping B is a 16.2hh five-year old gelding by Bustique with a couple of placings at BE100.
Gold Flush is a 16.2hh five year old mare by Andiamo. I went to see a three-year old after my accident and I saw her in the corner. She’d just come over from Holland and had probably been on a farm or something as she clearly hadn’t been handled very much and looked a bit like an RSPCA case. I’m not sure what is was, but I just saw something in her. I bought her and sent her to my parents to be turned out to chill out and get fat, then brought her on slowly. She’s gone out as a five-year-old and been placed every time.
So what do you look for in an event horse?
Around 60 per cent thoroughbred and something that has quality movement, jump and temperament. I’m looking for a couple more – they’re hard to find! At the lower levels the foreign horses look smart but they’re not always careful and get tired at a high level if they jump huge over every fence. They can also get bored if they’ve gone from the stable to the school from a four-year old. The Irish, however, go hunting, they gallop hills, jump ditches, learn where their feet are and how to look after themselves and conserve energy. The cross country phase is so important now as we saw recently in Rio.
What tips would you give others looking to buy an event horse
Temperament is vital – finding a horse loves its job and wants to do it.
Riders who want an advanced horse will of course need something that has a little sharpness and to be able to dig deep. By sharpness I don’t mean something that whips round… I mean alert, switched on and able to deal and learn from its mistakes.
Any Horses for sale now (August 2016)?
I have one that would make an ideal junior young rider. It will easily jump a two-star advanced but for me it behaves too well… it just doesn’t have that spark I’m looking for to go to the very top.
What’s the best horse you’ve produced?
I guess it was Allercombe Ellie whom I produced from a five-year-old up to three-star level. In 2014 she was selected for the World Games and for Rio with Izzy Taylor but unfortunately she never went as she was lame. Knowing I’ve produced a horse to that calibre is really exciting.
What horse will you never forget?
Stormstay (Henry) who took me to my first Badminton – we had a faultless round cross country. He also gave me two clear rounds at Burghley before I retired him.
Any tips for people training a young event horse?
If it’s a young horse then take it hunting. They learn how to conserve energy and really dig deep when they are tired. Fitness is vital for any event horse and they also need core strength so we do a lot of pole work on lunge. We have our show jumps and dressage arenas in a field – young horses move naturally forwards in a field, whereas in the school they’re often not in front of your leg. They tend to enjoy working much more if you go for a short hack first. You can generally tell a horse that goes from the box to the school and back.
Describe a typical working week for your young horses.
On a Monday they might be hacked then go in the school long and low.
We use a lot of raised trot poles on floor to help them strengthen their core and develop their trot, and canter poles to help their jumping.
On Tuesday they’re hacked then worked more ‘up together’ on the flat in the field or in dressage arena.
On Wednesday they’d jump – depending on the horse they might go through a grid in the school or jump in the field. They’ll also go for a canter afterwards.
Thursday is an easier day – they’ll be hacked or be lunged over poles.
Friday depends on whether they’re competing the next day. If they’re going to a show, they might have little pop over a jump or two, or work through a test.
All of our horses get time out religiously every day. My main aim is that I want them to enjoy their job and to be doing four star eventing at 13-14 years old.
What’s your goal?
To be at the stage I was before the accident. I want to get back to Badminton and Burghley but I’m not in a rush. I have some very nice young horses but I want a yard full of horses with a high value of £30k upwards. At the moment we make it work by selling horses at£15k-£20k. We need a couple more investors and horses.
Interview for Horse Scout by Sam Lewis
Follow Aaron Millar and keep up-to-date on his progress and the horses he has up for sale either through his profile page here or on our Horses for Sale pages by using these links. We have also a blog about Aarons’ horses for sale.
Zazou Snow by Concorde; Zazou Snow is connected by breeding to four other stallions advertised on our Stallions at stud pages
Aaron Millar also has a lovely young coloured horse April Showerfor sale, to find out more link to his Horses for Sale page on the Horse Scout web site.
Charlie Hutton – International dressage rider – Talland School of Equitation, Cirencester, Gloucestershire
Want to know what Charlie Hutton looks for in a dressage horse, how to get that elusive 80% and what it was like growing up at Talland? The international dressage star chats to Horse Scout and reveals the characters of his top horses, plus his insights into training them and his students
You’re the son of Pammy Hutton… were you born in the saddle?
Well, I don’t remember this, but apparently I started out riding in a basket on the back of a pony when I was just two years old. And then not much later I was put on one of my mum’s friend’s Grand Prix horses and was bucked off. It was downhill from there!
So you were always into horses?
No, actually I was always into sport and loved rugby and rowing but I wasn’t really interested in dressage until I was 14. Before that my mum used to bribe me and give me a pound every time I had a lesson — and let’s just say I wasn’t rich!
So what was your favourite discipline and what did you want to be when you grew up?
I jumped and hunted but the truth is I was more interested in the sausage rolls and port!
In terms of a career, I had high hopes of becoming an architectural engineer but then I got the dressage bug.
What made you change your mind and enjoy dressage? A particular horse?
No, for me it just wasn’t satisfying to walk, trot and canter. It was when I had the ‘OMG moment’ as I started to understand that you can communicate with a horse in such a unique way in dressage. Dressage requires such a wonderful bond with horse and rider. I remember at 14, going up to my mum and telling her I wanted to ride seriously and she just laughed because I think by then she’d just given up hope.
What’s your biggest achievement to date?
I’m still waiting for it! Seriously, I haven’t got what I want yet.
But if I had to mention the ‘stand out’ moments it would be going to the Youth Olympics where I won team gold and individual silver. It gave me a real taste of what it must be like to be at an Olympics. Another memorable moment was at Bolesworth this year where Super Blue and I won the feature event beating Charlotte Dujardin — the lap of honour was really magical because there was Carl and I trotting around together as winners and Super Blue really gave me everything he had that night.
And your ultimate goal?
I’d like to be on a senior championship team in the next few years and I’ve always had it on my list to go to the Olympics, although I’ve realised that it’s harder in real life than on paper… as there’s a horse involved, it’s not just about how hard you train.
So who has — and still is — influential in your training?
My mother, Carl Hester and I also spent a few months with the German Olympic team training under Johnny Hilberath.
What were the big lessons they taught you?
My mum taught me a huge amount about test riding, and how to be crafty in the ring, while my time in Germany, instilled in me the basics and how to be quiet and discrete — you have to sit still (you can’t move at all).
Carl? Well, he picks up on things that you’ve been struggling with and revolutionises your way of going, often by saying one line that you go home with, think about, try and then discover it works. As he often says: “The simple way is the best way”. He is such a wonderful rider and is someone I have always looked up to.
And you also teach/coach?
Yes too much! Last year I taught over 2,000 lessons and I freelance all around the world in Europe and America.
At what level do you instruct?
Any! I teach anyone willing and I get a thrill seeing people improve whatever their level.
What’s the hardest thing about being a coach?
Improving the connection with horse and rider. The rider needs to be able to feel… you can’t just say ‘kick now’, ‘half halt now’. It’s so subtle but it’s the difference between getting 70% to 80%.
Any tips on how to achieve this?
It’s appropriate to the person I’m teaching and I’m learning that being a coach is more about being a counsellor and psychologist. Some people take it far too seriously and improve when they’re reminded to go out, have fun and enjoy it. Others need their back side kicking because they can do it but they’re all airy fairy… then there’s the complex person with a huge amount of ability (but doesn’t believe it) and switches between ‘I can’t do it’ and then ‘I can’ and puts too much pressure on.
If I had to give one tip that applies to a lot of students it would be ‘Be brave — trust your instincts and have confidence’.
And you also coach your wife Abi… is that challenging?
I would say ‘no’ she would probably say ‘yes’.
At first it was hard, I wanted her to do better than anyone else and got too intense but Carl warned me: “Rather than you making your wife cry and go into another man’s arms, why not let me do that and let her run into yours”. I now try to take the pressure off and Abi has learnt that when she thinks I’m not right, I sometimes am (especially when I have video footage to prove it!)
How do you keep fit?
I ride around five to seven horses a day… I love sport and staying fit and do quite a bit of running and play squash from time to time.
Tell us about your top horses?
At the top level, there’s Super Blue, a 17hh, 11-year-old gelding by Showstar, owned by Judy Peploe. I’ve had the ride since 2013 and he’s now training at Grand Prix and competing at middle tour. He’s not much of a thinker but it suits his nature to let me set the rules. He’s also a bit spooky and notorious for standing on his hind legs in prize givings.
I’m also riding an exciting future prospect called Hawkins Rosanna, a powerhouse with huge potential and ability. She’s an eight-year old chestnut mare by Ruben Royale and again, owned by Judy Peploe. I’ve been riding her for 18 months and it’s taken a long time to discuss with her the principles of dressage — at the beginning it was her way or the highway! I’ve now built up a relationship and she’s listening more. It’s been a true test of character to be patient and not to worry that she’s behind in her development. I am lightly competing at elementary and medium and plan to do more at medium and advanced medium later this year.
So do you prefer geldings?
No, I’ve ridden geldings, mares and stallions and every horse is different. I had a mare that I trained that was so easy it took just four days to teach piaffe!
You can’t just put label on it but mares generally take a bit longer because hormones involved.
So do you look more towards breeding when buying a dressage horse?
To a degree, yes. Breeding is good on paper for when it comes to selling a horse. It increases value if there’s a particular stallion that’s famous.
And do you prefer a certain bloodline or type of horse?
If I have a choice I’d probably choose a German horse over Dutch but generally they don’t have to have big movement, I just want them to move loosely through the back and show elasticity and natural suppleness. It’s important to look more to their paces, ability and desire to learn.
How do you keep your horses fit, strong, supple — and happy?
We’re very fortunate at our yard to have a steep hill leading up to a ridgeway so we do a lot of work up that in walk or at a very slow trot to strengthen their hind quarters — if they have a slight weakness, going up a hill slowly helps them to move their legs in straight fashion.
They’re also lunged in the EquiAmi to encourage them to stretch loose, long and low and we also use polework — it’s important to keep a varied routine.
Why Horse Scout?
It has sleek and stylish branding and there’s plenty of content from horses and stallions to riders and trainers — it’s unique to have it all combined together in one place.
Eoin Gallagher, The Irish international show jumper, based in Lincoln talks to Horse Scout about producing top class young horses and his dream to ride for his country.
How did you get into show jumping?
I’m actually not from an equestrian background at all… Born in County Down, I’m from a Gaelic footballing family, but as I was seriously ill with meningitis when I was seven, I was too weak to play. My next door neighbour went to pony lessons so I ended up tagging along. One day he stopped going. I never did…
What are your biggest achievements since then?
As a Junior I managed to get on a few trips to England with some good results, then a bursary to train with Stephen Hadley followed on from that. I was National Inter Varsity champion in Ireland when I attended Ulster university, before securing a full-time job with Dermott Lennon.
This year I had a couple of 2nds at a CSI 3-star show in Lanaken, Belgium, with Corbeagh Luxor in the 1.45m classes. More recently I have won a few 1.40m classes on the national circuit with horses I have produced from a young age.
Tell us about Corbeagh Luxor
He’s an 11-year-old, 16.2hh gelding — Irish bred (Corbeagh Vella x Lux Z (KWPN)).
I only began riding him this year and had some of the best results after just two months. He is scopey but like many Irish, easy to ride. Due to the success at Lanaken and various placings, he’s just been sold. I’m disappointed to no longer be able to compete him but he has a promising future with his new owners.
So you prefer riding Irish-bred horses?
Most Irish horses are fun and straight forward.
Some of the Continentals are more talented but take more figuring out to get better results.
So do you breed and if so what?
I just started breeding with my mare Loughview Diamond Lux (half sister to Loughview Lou Lou) as she unfortunately got injured earlier in the year. I picked the stallion Action Breaker (son of Heartbreaker) — a KWPN. I chose Action Breaker as I was very impressed by his jumping technique, his attitude and rideability. His qualities compliment my mares very well.
Tell us about some of your other horses.
Lord Luidam is an 8-year old, 16.3hh gelding (Luidam x Northern Madera) who belongs to my wife. We’ve had him since he was five, and this year he stepped up to 1.40m classes, winning the Nottinghamshire County Show in May.
Illustro De Laubry is an 8-year-old, 16.2hh gelding (Beverly VD Heffinck out of Uganda De Laubry x Darco) who I ride for Sophie Marsh and her family and is jumping up to 1.30m.
Laroc is a 7-year-old German-bred gelding, also owned by the Marsh family. I’ve only had him for six months and I’m producing him slowly, giving him time to mature. He won a 1.30m class at Messingham Show recently.
Finally, Quontum, an 8-year-old gelding owned by Melanie Davison, is here for the summer.
What is your goal this year and beyond?
Longterm it’s every rider’s goal to ride for their country and if that opportunity arises I’ll grab it.
I’ve never really had any long-term campaigners at a higher level because the 8-year-olds get sold on and I’ve always had slightly younger (5,6,7 year olds) to produce.
For now, I’ll continue to build a strong team of horses and maintain good relationships with their owners to help keep moving the business forward.
You’ve have a lot of experience training young horses — any tips?
Be patient! It’s very easy to get disillusioned as they can be challenging and keep you guessing. When I was younger I was guilty of thinking of the next show and not thinking about a year down the line… I guess I’ve grown to learn it’s not always about tomorrow but the longterm, particularly with the young ones. In terms of their weekly schedule, like any of my horses they get a day off every week and turnout every day in the paddock. More time (eg three sessions a week) will be spent on flatwork than jumping and I find lunging on the pessoa can help too.
Do you train with someone?
Not often enough. If I am struggling with something, I’ll go to Dermot Lennon.
He helped me last summer and a couple of little things made a huge difference. By letting his head down a bit and lengthening and shortening the trot and canter, the horse gained more strength and started working better.
What are your top tips for buying a show jumper?
Don’t make any rash decisions and, if you are not sure, ask someone you respect.
A lot of riders are confident in their own ability and think they can make a horse better, but it’s easier to have a good horse and let it teach you, than try to make a bad one into a good one.
What’s the best tip you’ve ever been given?
If you always do what you always did you always get what you always got.
I think that applies to life, not just horses.
Another good bit of advice, I think by 2006 World Champion Jos Lansink, is that when things go wrong go back to the basics.
Who else has inspired you?
Growing up… Eddie Macken, who is retired now.
More recently, Scott Brash has been an inspiration to whole industry — someone the same age as me beating the guys who have been around for generations…
I also admire John Whitaker at the highest level.
Why Horse Scout?
I liked it from the moment I saw it. It’s great that there is somewhere that targets more elite horse sales and the social/connections side of Horse Scout is so different from any other equestrian website — it’s cool that someone has finally thought outside the box!
Interview by Sam Lewis
How Horse Scout Connects You To The Best.
Horse Scout is dedicated to Sharing information about its professionals and the quality stallions listed at stud.
Listed on the Horse Scout Horses For Sale pages he has two fabulous competition horses for sale, one of whom Illustro de Laubry is a Belgian Warmblood has already won several fox hunter classes and qualified for Newcomers, who also has Darco breeding, is by Bently Van De Heffinck listed on our Stallions at Stud pages by The Stallion Company. We have a blog about Bentley Van De Hefflink which you can read here.
His second horse listed Lord Luidam, a star in the making this horse is already competing at Grand Prix. Eoin has produced him since he was five and is justifiably proud of this lovely horse.
Bently Van de Heffinck and his son, Heartbreaker, have a great number of sibling connections on Horse Scout.
Modern Jumping Stallions listed on Horse Scout
Bently Van de Heffinczk’s son Heartbreaker is ranked 6th in the WBSFH Showjumping stallions 2015 and we have several of their progeny listed on the Horse Scout Horses For Sale pages.
Owned by The Stallion Company this stunning 16.3hh bay stallion Bently Van De Heffinck combines the best of modern jump breeding. His sire line is through Darco and Clinton with Heartbreaker, the classic modern stallion, producing the enormously successful stallion Cornet Obolensky. Gently Van de Huffinck has already produced a crop of impressive French and Belgian champions.
He not only passes on his talent and powerful conformation but also it is apparently that his youngsters are mentally well able to cope with the pressures of top competition.
Listed by The Stallion Company on Horse Scouts Stallion Listings pages Bently Van De Heffinczk has progeny on Horse Scouts for sale pages
Heartbreaker sibling connections and also horses for sale.
Orlando Stallion by Heartbreaker, listed as a Stallion at Stud on Horse Scout; a successful stallion in his own right with proven competition stock. This copy powerful young stallion has a very reasonably priced fee. Standing with The Stallion Company along side his sibling HSF Valantino who was hugely successful as a four and five year old, but who, after moving to USA has since died. British breeders are given the opportunity to take advantage of a limited stock of his semen through The Stallion Company
Another Heartbreaker Stallion Temple Tamability stands for Jack Hopson in Northaw in Nottinghamshire as a Breeders Elite SEIS Stallion was voted by the KWPN as their 2015 Horse Of The Year and is one of the highest ranking stallion in Holland and Belgium. Not only is he hugely successful on the international circuit but his progeny are also very successful.
Horses for Sale by Heartbreaker listed on Horse Scout