Breeding our First Pony

By Hazel Cornes Antsar Stud

We bred our first pony in 1993 - Antsar Eddie, by Courtway Viscount (British Riding Pony) out of September Shade (pure bred Arab). The reason for breeding a child’s pony came from the difficulty of trying to find the “right” pony. September Shade was 15 years old and a pure Arab, bought by word of mouth as a proven broodmare. I have to admit I knew nothing of breeding ponies or choosing a stallion. At the time there was so much in the equine press about novice and first time breeders, and the opinion expressed that breeding should be left to the professionals, I was starting to feel guilty.

Having acquired the broodmare, now it was time to choose the stallion. My first choice was a Welsh Section B from a top local stud, however they wanted the mare clearly in season and as Shade did not show that readily, this was quite a problem! So I saw a stud advert in the NCPA Year Book and off I travelled, to the Boreatton Stud where the British Riding Pony stallion Courtway Viscount was standing. Chris and Tim were very knowledgeable and I was greatly impressed with Viscount’s movement and temperament; little did I realise the value and importance of Viscount’s bloodlines.

As a foal, Eddie took us to the top at our first show, The Arab Horse Society’s National Show held at Malvern. What a day – pulled in top of the line and stayed there! Later that year, Eddie was crowned Reserve Best Foal at the UK Anglo & Part Bred Championships at Stoneleigh. From then on it was a quick learning curve, understanding that winning at one show under one judge certainly did not mean a red rosette every time, however after the initial pull-in, Eddie always went up the line due to his movement.

At 3 years old he was backed and he began his ridden career as a show pony. My daughter Sarah was the jockey and did exceptionally well at Pony Club, Riding Club and affiliated Arab shows. This combination then went on to do BSPS Show Hunter Pony classes. Never having had riding lessons on my own ponies, I was very much into getting them both the right training for the right discipline. The next stop was a Showing Expert and I answered an advert in the Farmers Guardian – what a decision and what a professional! My daughter was taught the art of ring craft, presentation and a thorough explanation of what a judge was looking for. Then came the day when the Showing Outfit was requested for scrutiny, a perfect picture being the goal. Sarah went duly dressed in her Derby House tweed, velvet hat, beige jodhpurs & leather long boots – all new and very expensive. I was stunned at the remarks! The jacket was far too big – ok so I’m a thrifty mum and bought it with plenty of growing room aiming at approximately 3 years, but, being honest, I think it would still be a little large, and Sarah is now 25! The hat was not the correct style and did not have a flesh-coloured harness. The jodhpurs were supposed to be cream and the boots, well they just about passed for the next 12 months then were changed to dressage long boots. All I got from my husband was “Well, you were paying for professional advice and you got it!” The opinion on Eddie was that he would be a good Novice Show Hunter Pony but would not win at Open level. Absolutely correct - he won Novice Classes but was in the placings in the Opens, never First.

There is a history that explains why my daughter was not keen on jumping; Pony Club and the wrong pony come to mind, and so that is why dressage (unaffiliated) was a perfect progression from the RC Equitation Classes. The Midland Group of the AHS always held dressage (under BD rules and judges) at their Summer Show. The organiser Jan Carter spotted Eddie and Sarah and asked them to compete on behalf of the Midland Team at the AHS National Show, the other members being an Anglo-Arab Premium Stallion and a pure Arab mare, both ridden by adults. The Midland Team won the event, Sarah and Eddie being 1st and 2nd in both their Prelim classes. At this Show a dear friend, Margaret Lloyd who owned El Prendero the Anglo-Arab stallion team member, commented that Eddie moved similarly to the FEI European Dressage Ponies and, in fact, she confirmed that the breeding was similar to a Bronze Medal-winning Danish pony.

The following September I had a phone call from Margaret instructing me to book a training session with a trainer of the British Pony Team at Bakewell, which I duly did. Pony, Sarah, brother, father and mother all set off from the Cheshire Plains and went into the Hills. Father was still questioning why the cost of a lesson had suddenly increased five-fold. The occasion will never be forgotten! Finally arriving at the farm, Sarah went in for her lesson. The first comment was to someone else: “You see that hind leg” - my heart sank and I thought “What’s wrong now?” – “that’s what I mean about ..........” Relief - all positive comments! The next question was “How big?” Yes, Eddie is a genuine 148 cms, but he is an eye-full. Then, “How’s he bred?” and Margaret was there talking bloodlines. After the lesson, the comment was “He’d go International and the jockey was good too”. Brilliant, marvellous, how exciting…… we rushed back to the trailer and then Sarah asked what all that meant. “Err, I don’t know - best go and find out!” was the reply. I went back to the Trainer and asked what happened next, to be told we were to contact BYRDS (British Young Rider Dressage Scheme) and get on the next Central Training Session at Addington – however this was only if Sarah wanted to do it and not because of us as her parents.

I fully understand the last statement, that it must be the child’s wish, not pushy parents; however, without the total commitment from the parents, it is a non-starter. Our lives - it affected the whole family - changed, what with school work and fitting in training sessions (not called lessons anymore!) wherever the clinics were being held. The most memorable incident was meeting Sarah off the school coach on its way back from a trip at a M6 service station, to go another 30 miles for a clinic. Chasing clinics was getting totally out of hand, so the decision was made to ask the help of the other BYRDS trainers Gilly and Rhett Bird who were based at Stratford. They were brilliant, and it meant that Eddie stayed with them during the term time with Sarah getting up at 5am to go for training on a Saturday morning. Then Eddie came home to compete during the holidays. Sarah was 16 all too soon and suddenly out of the ponies.

Our horsebox had not been bought with the intention of staying away in January and February and I will never forget those BYRDS weekends. The first weekend I took nightdress, slippers, dressing gown – the second and subsequent weekends I took thermals, tracksuit, ski socks, hat, gloves, sleeping bags, etc........... However cold and miserable the night, in the morning’s training session I would get my reward. Sitting quietly, thawing out, I would always hear someone say “That pony can move - how’s it bred?" As an onlooker I learnt so much from those weekends, finding the visit of the German Team Trainer and listening to the assessment of the test-riding very informative, and meeting other parents with dedicated children.

Going back to the beginning, it was along the way that I began to learn about the bloodlines and to realise just what I had acquired, chosen and bred. September Shade was a pure Arab and bred by the Strinesdale Stud which has been so influential in my ponies’ breeding and still is. Strinesdale Matador and his full brother Strinesdale Mastermind are only two of the famous ponies to come from this stud and to have such an impact on British-bred ponies. Shade was a 148 cm bay Arab mare whose movement was athletic, elastic and full of scope; she also had the temperament and qualities that make a good broodmare. Courtway Viscount, by the legendary Cusop Disciplin and out of Courtway Valeta, who herself was by Bwlch Valentino, was bred by the Courtway Stud, which in turn has its own close family ties with the Cusop Stud. My son also went through to Central BYRDS Training with his pony Aladdin by Courtway Viscount. A coincidence? No, it was exactly the reason I bought a newly backed 133 cms pony for Anthony. Aladdin was again a lovely pony who went on from working hunter classes to BSJA.

At the time, I didn’t know that these bloodlines had been exported and were so prevalent in the European FEI ponies. By combining these two influential bloodlines, I had produced a pony with presence, talent, trainability and, above all else, a temperament suitable for a child. The only change I would have made would be that he (Eddie) had been a she and therefore a future broodmare.

Eddie has earned his retirement and leaves me with a continuing commitment to breeding competition ponies with the temperament, conformation and talent from Britain’s rich legacy of bloodlines which can be ridden and enjoyed by children.

Hazel Cornes
Antsar Stud