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About my quest for the perfect horse |
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My goal was to find a breed of horse that would be perfect for amateur adults or older children (who were already good riders). Beyond that, the horse needed to have the calm temperament, beautiful movement, and physical ability to take the owner where they wanted to go, be it trail riding or competitive endeavors. And if that is not enough, the horse needed to be tough physically and genetically, didn't
need a crane to get on, not a million dollars, didn't eat you out of
house and home, and ...stunningly beautiful.
So, this is my story:
I bought my first horse when I was 41 years old. My only previous experience with horses was renting horses to ride by the hour from a local stable, and dreaming about them. I was one of the lucky ones...I bought a horse (12 year old Quarterhorse gelding) who was very knowledgeable on the trails and willing to take care of me. As well seasoned as he was, he also had some very bad habits and knew I was inexperienced...which he really took advantage of me. I figured out quickly that I needed lessons, and found a great trainer. She held clinics weekly for people and their horses. After seeing my horse in the clinic, she told me that he was dangerous and should go into training or be sold. I put him in training, while I continued classes. It all worked out fine eventually and he was my wonderful trail horse for over 10 years. He is now in retirement at my place, and thriving at age 25.
I repeat that "I was lucky"...I didn't get too scared or hurt by a horse who was clearly too much for me. Since that time, I have witnessed many amateur folks get hurt badly, scared out of horse ownership, or who have bought horses who seemed calm...but were in fact sick or lame. These owners just wanted a good horse to ride on trails or do some level of competition on. So I decided to try and find the perfect horse for us beginning level riders. My friend Evelyn, and horse guru, found the perfect breed...Le Cheval Canadien.
So we set about to find one, to breed to a mare we had rescued. We found a possible stallion and went to see him. While we were there, looking at the stallion, Evelyn tapped me on the shoulder and pointed at a yearling colt. I just could not see his potential as an adult, only his funny yearling self, but we looked at him. He had such good temperament and was so engaging, that I took Evelyn's advice and bought him. Since then, I have read everything about the breed that few have ever heard of.
To say the least, "Mark", the kind of ugly stud colt, has turned into a real beauty, inside and out, and is still a stallion. He is the nicest horse, loves people, actively engages contact with you, is extremely atheletic, but has the coolest head around. He will work until he drops if you ask, or just meander along...whatever you want, he is there to please. He learns very quickly and has beeen described as "the easiest horse to train" by several trainers. He has beautiful movement, elastic correct gaits, hooves of steel, and couldn't care less about bad weather. And beautiful? He looks like a small Andalusian/Friesian cross.
My Mark is 14-2 hands tall, and about 950 pounds. I had several people observe that if we could put his brain and temperament into a taller and more elegant body, that would be their perfect horse. So I bred him to my 2 Thoroughbred mares (also essentially rescues). One mare is 17-1 hands and the other is 16-2 hands. What I got was 2 very elegant babies, with huge extension and suspension, and who are easy to work with and manage. If their sire is a calmness level 1 or 2, and their mother's were 8 and 9, the babies are 4 (colt) and 5 (filly). They are lovely and should do very well at dressage, eventing and jumping. Endurance is a likely possibility as they already have their sire's iron hooves, bigger bone and their dam's huge lungs and long stride. Driving is a possibility, but they are too young at age 8 months for me to tell. Mark is competing in Combined Driving Events.
I have just acquired my first purebred Canadien mare, Jojo. She is taller than Mark at 15-3, and has the same big bones and huge hoves. She is also very calm and engaging. Always looking for a way to entice you into a game. She was bred to a Henryville stallion (similar lineage to Mark) before she came to me, so I am anxiously awaiting the birth of my first purebred foal in July 09.
PLEASE TAKE A MINUTE TO LOOK AT THE HORSES AND CONSIDER LE CHEVAL CANADIEN AS YOUR PERFECT HORSE.
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