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| Fox Ridge Jumping Bean (by Theodore II, aka "Kevlar") -- "Beanie" has returned home from residing with our partners for a year and he is just as delightful as a two-year-old as he was as a weanling. This dark gray gelding by Kevlar (full brother to Theodore O'Connor) is a classic-looking, registered half-Welsh/TBx. He is super sweet and one of the most balanced movers I've seen at his age. His canter looks to be something exceptional in terms of its efficiency and self-carriage: VERY huntery--long, lowish and yet naturally round from nose to tail. Beanie also has a surprising amount of bone for a pony who looks to end up in the 14.0 hand range--and he sure did get his Daddy's great feet! Alas, Beanie does have one (but his ONLY one, I promise!) major conformation flaw (cow hocks) that limits his value and so he is fairly priced at $2500. Renny's Cliche -- This sweet 14.1 1/2h, five-year-old mare has an unusual personality and style. Double line-bred to Theodore, she is 5/8ths Thoroughbred w/ the stride length of a full Thoroughbred. "Clee" hung out at HITS last year and has been to several shows (schooling courses but unshown) this year, plus has schooled several xc courses. There is an extensive "library" of videotapes of Clee on YouTube (links on her page). She is a pony for a serious competitor who wants to get out there and do stuff, both at home and at shows. Perhaps the best way to describe Clee is that "She Got Game." Now, that doesn't mean she's hot: I have the brown icon for her because she can start off quite forward (and yet you don't need to pick up the reins at all--just let her do her fast walk until she's gotten it out of her system); she always settles into rock solid and as soft as you ride her to be. Call for price. Foxworthy Fools Gold -- Out of Sanalta's Royal Crystal, "Gem" is a flashy sabino and was born a "palomino-on-gray." Thus she carries the dilute gene and is in foal to Theodore I for 2009.. A purebred Welsh with halfbred papers, this filly is now a 3-year-old (@12.1h) and is now living again with one of her owners and their three young girls (in foal to Kevlar for an April foal). Gem was working well under saddle (walk, trot, canter, leads and cross rails) here in FL and there are videos of her on YouTube. Having been raised by kids, Gem can be a bit of a brat, but she is also as smart as a whip and showed she can be very mannerly when handled consistently. This filly is also unusually pretty--very, very classic Welsh. We believe she would be very competitive at Welsh shows, but would also make a nice short-stirrup pony or a family pet all-rounder type. She also has some value as a broodmare as she was born a palomino (so she carries a dilute gene) and has four stockings and a blaze (so she is also a sabino). Asking price (reduced): $4000. Fox Ridge Cadence -- This is one flashy little lady! I'm not sure to whom her breeding will appeal, but she's by Land's End The Colonel's Fox and out of Melody, dam of Theodore O'Connor. All I can say is that she should have a jump and the smarts, but the rest is as much a mystery to me as it probably is to you! She's a friendly, bold, naughty girl, full of bounce and a touch of arrogance. Mom is 13.0h as is Dad, so her she'll undoubtedly end up a medium, but don't be too sure about the 13.0h part. Granddad (the Thoroughbred stallion Honest Turn by Honest Pleasure) was 15.3h. "Cady" is a 2006 model and a video clip of her is available on YouTube (shows her lovely trot). Price: $8500. |
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| A related argument involves changing distances for ponies' sizes but not for horses. That, IMO, comes from another antiquated notion that kids need the help where adults don't (i.e. you can't have a kid on a 12-hander racing around trying to make the distances of a 14-hander because it isn't good for the kid, etc.) But given the nature of today's adult amateur (AA), the exact same thing WOULD be true of adults--except that the problem is basically solved by there not being any adult divisions other than "large." A lot of AAs ride just as scarily as the little kids, and no one would want to see them making distances the wrong way… …but trainers today don’t have to deal with that problem because it is solved for them when if they simply mount their AAs on nothing but horses who suit the distances. I guess I'm saying that having AAs ride distances suited to their horses, rather than forcing them to ride (and pay a lot more for) horses suited for (16+ hander) distances would be much better for the industry as a whole. Of course, debates about heights, distances and qualifications are all part of the sport's “big picture.” In an ideal world, decisions about such things would reflect the philosophy, mission and vision of the sport and its leadership. Indeed, I argue that a sport’s national governing body should be philosophically, as well as financially, sound. And I wonder if anyone in USEF (The United States Equestrian Federation, the national governing body of equestrian sports) ever addresses the big picture, such as that illustrated by this big, gaping hole? |
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| Shopping for young HUNTER ponies? |
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| Need more information? |
| Write us at Sportponies Unlimited 10565 SE 29th Ave. Ocala, FL 34480 Cell/Tel: 919-634-1697 |
| Click on the photos to see more pictures. |
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| War Prince, circa 1979. This business is dedicated to the memory of "Princie," a pony who did everything asked of him... and so much more. |
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| Ponies For Sale |
| Check out the special sale going on now at Fox Ridge Farm, home of Land's End The Colonel's Fox. |
| There is a real need for a 14.2+ to 15.2h division for adult riders, equal in availability and prestige as other hunter-jumper divisions One size range (14.2h-15.3h) represents a big, gaping hole in the hunter-jumper industry. This hole artificially inflates prices (and opportunities) throughout the levels of h-j showing. It also has been a huge boon for imports, while thoroughly discouraging American breeds in the American arena--a fact which I find is embarrassing. I dare say the size hole is one of the most illogical (and, IMO, philosophically shameful) circumstances in the horse industry today. Unfortunately, the resulting influence on pricing is to the advantage of trainers (because they can get a LOT more for horses/ponies of the "right" size—do note that without a gaping hole between 14.2+-15.3, there would BE no "right" size). [NOTE: I'm not sure that, as a group, trainers are actually aware of these ramifications, but trainers aren't exactly known for having a broad vision of the industry anyway--not a fault: they have no time to. Please don't read this as yet another condemnation of trainers! They, like all of us, have to make a living, too.] The sad thing is that the size hole is a huge and expensive disadvantage to exhibitors. Harsh as it sounds, the truth is that most of today's A show circuit exhibitors are simply too ignorant of how the industry works (or too tolerant, gullible, placid—you name it) to realize that they are paying a LOT more for their fun just because of that oh-so-artificial "hole" in the market. In other words, if a 5'3" woman didn't HAVE to buy a 16+ hander to be competitive at the top shows, the price of the 16+ hander would go down. But lower prices are not part of the mindset of many trainers. |
| The "Big, Gaping Hole": A Breeder's Call to Action . |
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| Click HERE or on the logo above if you would like to email me your reactions to this commentary. |
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| Just a little place with pretty ponies...Click on the photo below to see pictures of our set-up. |
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| Kunichiwa -- This 2005 gray is a 14.0 1/2h half-Thoroughbred filly out of Christian (full sister to USEF/AHSA National Champion "I Don't Know" and 3/4 sister to eventing phenom "Theodore O'Connor") by the well-established pony hunter sire, 14.0h Smallwood Paris (by J. Hunt out of the Farnley Lustre mare, Cymraeg Raindrop, full sister to the legendary Cymraeg Rainbeau). As "Kuni" matures, she is showing signs of being your classic Welsh-TB looker. She coming along nicely under saddle and over fences, showing good movement, form and an excellent, VERY quiet temperament. Price: 11,500. |
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| Foxworthy Crossley - QUALIFIED FOR THE 2009 PONY FINALS, "Croz" is out of Chelsea, dam of half a dozen A circuit winners, including a National Champion. His sire, Land's End The Colonel Fox, is a US and Canadian National Champion. This very big-bodied, long-fronted pony standing 12.0h currently. He will hack AND model with the best of them and has already carried very young riders safely. UPDATE: Crossley has attended four rated shows and threelocal shows under five different riders to date, bringing home three championships and three reserves (and never failing to ribbon)! Professional inquiries are always welcome. Please call for price. |
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| Unnamed 2008 Colts - Unique offerings! One colt is out of Melody, dam of Pan Am Gold Medalist and US Reserve National Four-Star Champion Theodore O'Connor (deceased). The other is out of Christian, full sister to 2000 Horse of the Year/National Champion Pony Hunter "I Don't Know" and 3/4 sister to Theodore O'Connor. Both colts were sired by Miner's Lamp, whose son, Miner's Frolic just won the Bronze medal at the Olympics! Both are quite sweet and friendly (unusual for Melody-the-bitch's babies until they are weaned, very typical for Chrissy's foals). The pictures here are out-of-date and there are none yet of Chrissy's colt (coming soon). And, of course, tthere's no telling what these boys will end up doing in life, but both are very interesting packages of potential. If you're interesting in an intriguing roll of the dice--one whose value could continue to skyrocket if Miner's Frolic (who is still quite young) continues to perform well--one of these boys could be for you! NOTE: Melody is in foal to Fleetwater Opposition (sire of Olympic and WEG bronze and silver medalist Yarlands Summersong and also Opposition Buzz (who finished in the top 10 at both Badminton and Burghley this year!). That in utero foal is also available. Call for prices. |
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| Click on picture for larger image. Cash is on the right, Curry left. |
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