- Connemara
- Grey
- Gelding
- 9 years
- 14.2hh / 148cm
- Heartbreaking sale of a hopelessly outgrown Once in a Lifetime Pony
- Fantastic Jumper, Bold and Brave XC
- Measures in at 147cm
Don is a 9 year old outstanding 147cm Class 1 Connemara Gelding, who we have owned since he was 6 years old. Sadly his rider has grown 9 inches since we bought him and we now need to find him a new home to enjoy and adore him as much as she has. We had hoped for 2026 as a final season enjoying Pony Club Camp, BE and Summer Championships but another growth spurt has sadly meant we now need to look for his next family earlier than expected :(
He had a brilliant 2025 season, being placed Top 3 in every event they attended including coming 2nd in the the Pony Club Eventing Regional Championships final at Kelsall. He spent the winter hacking and Arena Eventing, again always in the placings. He has been enjoying Riding club camps and training for this season, training up to Novice fences. This early summer he has competed in the Cotswold Cup, Pony Club rallies and Showjumping competitions.
He is a forward thinking competition pony, a responsive ride who absolutely loves his job and gives 100% to everything asked of him. In the 2.5 years we have had him he has never once stopped at a fence.
Don absolutely loves hacking and seeing new routes and will happily hack for hours alone or in company, he is a forward going hack great in all traffic and farm machinery. They also tried hunting over winter and he was mannerly, safe with the hounds and happy to stand politely with the field and go in front or behind.
He loves XC, covering the ground and tackling any obstacle put in front of him, he always makes the time and gives a bold and confident ride. Don will jump any fence and any stride SJ and will produce a good dressage test; he would easily and successfully affiliate either BSJA or BE, we feel he would have the scope and bravery to storm up the levels with a like-minded rider.
However similarly he would happily take things steadier at Pony Club, camps, fun rides and unaffiliated events. Don is happy when he is out and about, but he doesn't mind if he is hacking, going on fun rides, jumping 60cm or tackling beefy XC fences - he gives the same effort and enjoyment!
Although he is very genuine and honest, and does step down to his rider’s abilities, he is not a novice ride, but perfect for somebody coming off a smaller forward going pony, or a small adult. He rides bitless and tackless, he enjoys liberty work as he loves to build a close bond with his rider with his gentle character.
He is great to load (on trailers and lorries) and will stand in the lorry quietly on show day. He turns out in a herd, mixed or split, does not get herd bound, and is content left alone in the field while others are ridden out. We do use an oral sedative to clip him but he is great to shoe (front and back).
Don is up to date with vaccinations, worming and teeth and open to full vetting / xrays etc. He is fit and ready to go and we would love to see him enjoying camps and competitions and getting to know his new rider over the summer holidays.
Home is an absolute priority for us and there would be some level of negotiation on price for the perfect loving home who will give him a varied life and enjoy taking the time building a relationship with him, keep in touch with us and previous owners (he has a fan club!) and share his future successes.
We are based on the Staffordshire / Shropshire border