FAQ:
What times do you have available to show horses? I do have help with the riding and showing of horses so we have appointment times during the week and limited weekends available.
What is your sales policy? I operate on a first come first serve basis to appropriate qualified homes. I do my absolute best not to pick favorites and honor the first come policy. Essentially what that means is that I do not hold horses. Horses are available until they are paid for in full. If vetting is actually set up (scheduled with day/time) we will hold for that vetting if within a five day time frame. We continue to show the horses until the vetting is complete and payment is made. There are many reasons that people may pass on a horse during a vetting and another customer may be perfectly happy with the results of the said vetting. It is also common that people back out of vettings or simply change their mind before a vetting which is why we do not take horses off the market. That does mean a horse may be sold to someone who buys the horse sight unseen before your appointment to come and see it. I will always let you know before you make a drive out to my farm if a horse is sold. I do my best to notify everyone right away that a horse is sold. I realize it can be frustrating to have a horse sold that you wanted to come and see but many of mine do sell to buyers who are comfortable with the buying sight unseen process. If you have any questions please let me know. I like to say that there are always more horses and if I sell one you are interested in then I will do my best to find you another one!
Vetting Policy:
Once we have agreed to move forward with a ppe it should be set up for within 5 business days.
The buyer has 2 business days at max to decide if they are proceeding with the sale after the conclusion of the ppe. A quicker response is greatly appreciated as horses often have a line.
A non refundable deposit of $200 once the ppe is scheduled will hold the horse for you through the vetting. This simply means I will not sell the horse outright or have a sooner ppe set by someone else while we are waiting for yours. The deposit will be applied to the price of the horse. This is a non refundable deposit, so in the event you decide not to proceed with the sale or ppe for any reason it will not be returned.
You can chose not to put down a deposit while waiting for the ppe however, that means someone else might decide to purchase the horse outright before your vetting.
What payment methods do you accept: I take paypal, venmo, cashiers check and wire. Personal checks on a limited basis and must clear before horses leave.
Do you have a list of vets in your area? I am in Delaware and they aren't as many vet practices as in larger areas but I do have a list of vets and you are welcome to have your own vet come if they are in the area where they can travel to me. All the vets do digital xrays. Most are very comfortable vetting for customers who can't be present for the vettings. They typically will do the flexions, lunging, etc and then call to discuss the results before proceeding to anything else.
Choptank Equine (MD) 1-410-429-7347
Unionville Equine (PA) 610-932-6800
Equine Veterinary Care (fairhill, MD) 410-392-6646
Do you ship or have a list of shippers? We do ship within a 3-4 hour range and can often do longer trips depending on the schedule. I have many shipping contacts and can also help you get shipping set up. I have many horses that ship long distances. I will hold the horses for a week at no cost while shipping is arranged but after that it is $25 a day until horse is picked up.
We have a 7 day pick up policy after your payment has been made. We have a very busy barn with limited space and are unable to hold horses past seven days. There is a $25 a day fee for anything that needs to stay past the 7 days post purchase.
References/graduate information : https://www.facebook.com/groups/2922626288055600 also my Benchmark Sport Horses facebook page- https://www.facebook.com/benchmarksporthorses
Listen to podcast with Major League Eventing discussing all things TB and Benchmark- https://www.buzzsprout.com/168580/1092173-bonus-ottb-101-with-jessica-redman
Listen to my podcast segments with OTTB on Tap here- https://rss.com/podcasts/ottbontap/
Boy is it Hot- 17h 4yr gelding sired by Boys at Tosconova out of a Dynaformer mare https://www.pedigreequery.com/boy+is+it+hot This is another horse that is quite a large 4yr not just tall but huge shoulder, big hip, wide chest and really nice big feet. He raced 7x and was extremely slow. He was sent to another trainer recently who said STOP this is not a race horse :) He is sound, no injuries and no vices. I would say he is fairly tight in his muscling but has already loosened up significantly with some turnout.
I love the brain on this horse already. He is just so easy going and well behaved. The weather is legit insanity today with things blowing through the air. Cold, windy and just spooky horse weather. He stood perfect in the barn for grooming, clipping and cleaning up.
He stood like a statue for his pictures. He was just so chill in the turnout area happy to just walk around and sort of offended when Brooke asked him to put in a little effort :) I suspect this one is going to be fairly quiet to ride. He just seems like a good dude.
Well I think we were right about him being as quiet as he presented for his initial assessment :) He was also just a star for his first ride. Perfect for tacking up, great at the mounting block and was just really quick along quiet. The easy ones make it looks easy don't they! For such a big growthy horse he just goes in such a nice balance. He just sort of sits very nicely in the contact on his own. Makes a really great shape. He isn't the flashiest mover but he is very consistent and steady which really goes a long way. He has a very nice way of going with three quality gaits. His canter is super rhythmical. He is the type that just allows you to put your leg on and ask all the questions. He was struggling a little bit with the right lead but came around and did a lead change to it. We don't harp on these things starting out because as they get straight forward and learn all the things about being off the leg they get their leads. We just show they are capable of getting them and holding them.
I think this horse has a really pretty head and we love his soft eye. He seriously is the so sweet and in your pocket. I can see him easily being one that does a bit of everything and does it well. The brain on him can't be beat! It's also hard to portray how much of a tank he is in his pictures. He is so solid. Big wide chest on him. Nice hip. Great neck. Super bone and feet. Really built to last.
Videos- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt-dzmhstvn1aW1tmRjYnx_cp78jKxtkc
www.benchmarksporthorses.com will have the details as we get them.
Breed: Tb gelding
Age: 2020
Height: 17h
Pedigree: Click Here
Price: $6500 subject to change
Link to lots of photos: Click Here
Cubano- 4yr 17.2 h gelding sired by Outwork out of a Street Cry mare https://www.pedigreequery.com/cubano14 Cubano sold decent as a yearling and 2yr but he didn't show much potential. He ran once in July of 2023. He came off the track in the summer and has since been turned out. This horse is very very big with huge bone, huge feet and just overall substance to him.
Right now he needs a little bit of TLC just to help him clear up the rest of his rain rot, get some shoes on and add a bit of weight and muscle back but he is a stunning horse. He is also just so sweet. I had to laugh as I was clipping him because he kept leaning into me and knocking me off my stool. He is so big even on my stool I could barely see the top of his head to get it cleaned up the way I like. He loves grooming, food and naps. He seems to have a personality that matches his size.
He really was quite a light mover for his size and being a bit growthy and butt high I think maybe I was a little bit shocked he moved so light. He really seems super athletic. I loved his suspension and the way he could sit for such a big boy. Eager to see him under tack!
We got a chance to do his first ride and I documented it because I think it it shows where we start a lot of times. This is a VERY VERY big horse and they are like riding gumby sometimes. He very much was like OMG friends...the gate...the corner...everything is glue...I am stuck... I didn't get all of that on video mainly the very last bit because when they do this it takes ground people to work through. I think a lot of people simply don't talk about this and how to fix it. I love lunging and lunging will help a lot but it may not fix it totally so we will see. A first ride is an evaluation and you don't always know what you will get exactly so sometimes you need to see where that starting point might be. It answered that holy wow this sucker is fancy and can really move. He has a canter and hind leg that makes me drool. I LOVE the way he goes. He understands forward and how to use himself. However, he doesn't really respect forward and going straight.
We can help her forward on the ground with some lunging and hand waving but he thought going right was darn near impossible. Sometimes they are just a bit insecure about this so we will work on some lunging to the right to get him more confident about going right. I personally like having my videos as a starting point. Most of these horses progress really quickly because we figure out what they need and can show them the right path.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt-dzmhstvn0lnUqM2YfEcM0zdf1tmAnc
www.benchmarksporthorses.com will have details as we get them.
Breed: Tb gelding
Age: 2020
Height: 17.2h
Pedigree: Click Here
Price: $6500 subject to change
Link to lots of photos: Click Here
Nicky Da Fox- 17.3 h 6yr gelding sired by Jump Start out of a Roanoke mare https://www.pedigreequery.com/nicky+da+fox Fox ran 29x making around 75k. He retired sound with no injuries and has no vices. Please READ the ad for important info. Watch the video as well. I am just trying to be super forthcoming so this horse can be properly rehomed.
I was a little bit shocked when this horse arrived and I viewed his front leg conformation seen here https://youtu.be/eek2XuuKda4 I have had horses over at the knee but this horse is very over at the knee. He doesn't quite straighten his legs at all. He was in desperate need of getting his feet done which he got done. We tried not to make huge drastic changes but we took off a lot of toe and tried supporting his heels a bit more. All this being said he is very sound, has been running well enough and has held up to a strenuous career just fine.
He may not have an upper level career but I think he would do just fine having a lower level career. I think you would just need to feel comfortable with all the information that I am presenting and discuss with your veterinarian. I cannot make any promises how he will hold up. Maybe he holds up forever or maybe he has a few really good years. I don't have a ton of experience with something of this nature.
His trainer has had him his entire career. He is a stunningly beautiful horse. Yes, he is a true 17.3 h on the stick. He had just run recently. He is lovely to handle and work around. Very mannerly for his size. Has been excellent to ship, wash stall, grooming, clipping, farrier, etc. Great in the stall and in turnout. We plan on riding him soon. He is such a sweet kind horse with a lovely disposition.
Fox had his first ride and he was just lovely! He stood perfect to be tacked up. We lunged him for just a minute or so because at 17.3 h he puffed up slightly when he walked out to the ring and well that is a big horse that we don't know much about lol :) He was as you see in the video which was very very quiet and he just lunged around like lalala no big deal. Stood super quietly at the mounting block. We essentially just rode him around on the buckle he was just cruising around like he had been doing the job forever. He is one that has such a GREAT brain! I also love that despite his size you never feel like you need to help him balance. He just goes on his own in a super great shape and balance. He honestly was a bit lazy and thought cantering was too much effort. I would say he is more of a kick ride for sure.
We just let him do his thing today without asking a ton of him because he really was about as good as it gets for a first ride. This is a very very nice horse. He has a super personality and just aims to please. You can see how personable he is in the barn videos. He is always looking to see what you are doing and interested in some scratches. He really loves grooming and gets his lips curled up as he gets into it. He also loves treats and all things food related.
His videos are here- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt-dzmhstvn0cBPbXSnnfJfLqsoMJNZfE
www.benchmarksporthorses.com for all his details.
Breed: Tb gelding
Age: 2018
Height: 17.3h
Pedigree: Click Here
Price: $3500 subject to change
Link to lots of photos: Click Here
Court Banker- 5yr 16 h gelding sired by Central Banker out of a Belong to Me mare https://www.pedigreequery.com/court+banker Court Banker raced 4x and last raced in May of 2022. He was bred, raised and trained by the same connections his entire career. He has just been turned out since his race career. He is very chunky, barefoot, sound, no injuries and no vices. He is just as cute as they come!
He just shipped in but has been so easy to work around. He has a super sweet personality. He stood great for his pictures and was so cute out in the free area.
For having two years off just hanging in the field he has been excellent to restart. He stands nicely to be tacked up, good at the mounting block and was excellent on his first ride. I would say he just really isn't quite sure about relaxing and stretching down but that is something that will come with a bit more time and work. He tends to be a bit slower when confused and just a little bit behind the leg. His walk and canter is really nice and he has figured out the stretching in those gaits. The trot can take a bit more time. He also is out of shape so it just always should be a slow and steady introduction back to work.
He has been learning to lunge so we can just install his forward button a bit more and he is really figuring that out quickly.
I will say he can be slightly pushy sometimes on the ground just because he is a very thick type that probably hasn't been handled as much in the past two years. He is getting better each day but he does need reminding that he is not the boss :)
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt-dzmhstvn3OZZmlVrZUBvOZVesJcwD4
Breed: Tb gelding
Age: 2019
Height: 16h
Pedigree: Click Here
Price: $5000 subject to change
Link to lots of photos: Click Here
He just gets better each ride and I think he is going to be such a special one!
Click on the Clock- 6yr 16.3 h gelding sired by Dowsing out of Langfuhr mare https://www.pedigreequery.com/click+on+the+clock I quite like the pedigree on this horse and he just really looked like my type. He is unraced because he had a bow about a year ago. He was brought back and still showed zero interest in running so while he trained he never did race.
Amy spoke very highly of what a great brain he had and his lovely personality. It is very clear this horse has been well loved. He is so so sweet. He will just rest his head on your shoulder and snuggle. He has been lovely to work around. Just great with everything we have done so far. So sensible and easy to work around.
His first ride went about as good as a first ride goes. He just has a neck that makes a lovely shape and he was really just one that puts himself in such a beautiful balance and stays there. He has three quality gaits. The canter is so dreamy! He was so willing to start to figure out where to be in the balance and to start moving a bit laterally to soften up his body. He is just one that is professional. Everything about him is a horse that is safe and fun to ride. He is very focused on just doing whatever is asked of him with no drama. We can't wait to do more with him. Our first ride is always just a bit of an evaluation and they get better from there.
Brooke did his second ride and she was also very smitten with him. He is just one of those horses that when he finds the balance he sits right it it. He really started to push more from behind on ride two and stay a bit straighter in his body. Really good canter work as well! It was just wicked hot and we wanted to start him over some jumps but they are not used to the weather changes so we decided to wait. He was so good I just don't want to push him.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt-dzmhstvn27RPRGoF_KtnUJfJeyYBJu
Breed: Tb gelding
Age: 2018
Height: 16.3h
Pedigree: Click Here
Price: $7500 subject to change
Link to lots of photos: Click Here
Discreetly Thrifty- 4yr 15.3 h gelding sired by Super Saver out of a Hat Trick mare https://www.pedigreequery.com/discreetly+thrifty I really love the Super Saver offspring. This cuties as bought to be a pony horse but he was just a bit to small and wasn't quite the right fit. I sort of chuckled when I saw his videos and thought well duh he is meant to be an event horse :) He is just beyond adorable! He had raced 12x retiring sound with no injuries or vices. He was barefoot on arrival but since has gotten shoes on and is feeling much better.
Thifty is one of those horses that I look at and think just give me two months and then everyone will see it. He is just a bit lacking in the weight and muscle department which makes it hard for him to have the strength for the quality of work that I know is in there. This horse can really move and he is so slinky! He really is soft, supple, light and balanced. We changed him to the softest bit to encourage him to take the bit down and out a bit which seemed to help. He has a fantastic canter which is one of those canters that is just so good he finds it really easy to just want to canter. I mean if you canter like that why trot? He is being convinced that the trot is a desirable gait and producing much better trot work each ride.
I love the work ethic and brain on this horse. Absolutely nothing bothers him. He is just so willing to do anything asked of him. When you ask for forward he is happy to go but if you think whoa the whoa button is very firmly installed. He will just happily stand there and chill. He is learning about straightness and moving off the right aids. He is just so agreeable and he tries so hard which I find to be some of the most important qualities.
He has impeccable manners and has just been overall lovely to work around in all regards. Great in the barn, turnout, stall, etc. Clips, ties, ships, great for baths, grooming and everything in between.
Videos- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt-dzmhstvn2aKnKYVZ4v2ouDLpp2Rn56
Info- www.benchmarksporthorses.com
Breed: Tb gelding
Age: 2020
Height: 15.3h
Pedigree: Click Here
Price: $6500 subject to change
Link to lots of photos: Click Here
Rock the Bank- 3yr 15.3 h gelding sired by Central Bank out of a Honor Code mare https://www.pedigreequery.com/rock+the+bank3 This cutie trained but was not showing much talent. He had registered works and he is RRP eligible. He had come back to the farm and had several months of turnout prior to coming here. He was a bit ouchy barefoot so we added some shoes. He had one ride before his castration where he was absolutely perfect. He was castrated and spent a week doing some lunging (post castration procedures to exercise them) and is now back to work.
I thought his breeding was more towards the hunter ring and I would say he did looks like an adorable hunter type. This horse is super easy to handle. Shipped like a pro. Stands great in the cross ties, good for clipping, baths, etc. Stood perfect for the farrier and to be tacked up. Handled all his post castration care like a champ! He is just so so easy. Doesn't care about friends, being in the barn alone or practically anything we have noticed.
Doing a first ride with 40mph wind gusts isn't really super smart but he seemed laid back so we just thought let's wing it :) We threw him on the lunge and he canter two circles and then trotted around like a school pony. He wasn't 100% of the mounting block and honestly it was too cold and windy to want to address that so we just legged her up. He just didn't understand the block and wasn't doing anything bad. I just prefer to teach them properly so I bet he will figure it out quickly when we have a little bit of time to work with him.
He was kicking quiet and it was quickly evident why this one didn't have the goods to be a race horse :) He was very happy to just trot around on the buckle on a crazy windy day with the reins flapping in the wind. He is also fine with a bit more contact. He has a super cute balanced canter. Overall just seemed like a very level headed type.
On his second ride he stood quietly at the mounting block...smart boy! He really had figured out the stretching into the contact from his week of lunging and was like look how good I can stretch :) His feet are still slightly ouchy after getting shoes. He has great feet they were just very very short from being barefoot so that takes a little bit of adjustment time. He was oddly happier picking up the right lead canter and showed a nice lead change to his left lead canter. He is really content to just go around very quietly in a cute shape without needing a lot of assistance from his rider.
He is sound, no injuries and no vices. He does have a small calcification on the outside of his right hind cannon bone which has been there for a long time and is just a blemish. He was slightly nippy when he arrived but castration seems to have quickly diminished that. He is just super quiet and easy to work around. Great in turnout, stall and everything else. Just a very nice horse to be around. He is also absolutely adorable!
Videos- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt-dzmhstvn17flv1hRqejuCl2S_TMWRJ
www.benchmarksporthorses.com for all his details. He is in the low four range at the moment.
Breed: Tb gelding
Age: 2021
Height: 15.3h
Pedigree: Click Here
Price: $4000 subject to change
Link to lots of photos: Click Here
Some Detail- 10yr 16.2 h imported Irish bred sired by Getaway (Ger) out of an Oscar mare (IRE) https://www.pedigreequery.com/some+detail I mean if he was a mare people would be fighting me for him He had a good career in England and was imported here to be a timber horse. He had trouble adjusting and was sick after import. Then most recently as he began to train he came up with a little bit of inflammation in his left front. He very easily was able to move on to continue racing and is not limited in any way. He means a lot to his connections and they simply didn't want to risk anything happening.
I will say that I was very very full beyond capacity when his trainer essentially told him that I had to have him. I trust her implicitly so when horses sold we went and picked him up. My husband unloaded him and said I think you have something very special here. He needed 30 days of just small paddock turnout so I pretended like he wasn't here so I would be patient. Patience in not exactly my top character trait His time was up and today was the big reveal.
I mean just watch the video. I would say those 30 days were worth the wait huh? I guess he is just alright.... lol...
This boy is thick! He is one of those old school TB's with the huge heads, huge bone, nice feet and thick build. He is super duper cool. I was told he has been there and done that. Also done quite a bit of hunting. We are very eager to get to know him. I always feel like it is an honor to have these wise gentleman in my barn.
Videos https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt-dzmhstvn0w7X8XiQlhaow6WMJdVBPG
Breed: Tb gelding
Age: 2014
Height: 16.2h
Pedigree: Click Here
Price: $10000 subject to change
Link to lots of photos: Click Here
Amount- 6yr 16.1 h gelding sired by Curlin out of a Pulpit mare https://www.pedigreequery.com/amount3 Amount ran 35x and just began to drop down in to lower class and lose interest. He has no vices and is retiring sound.
When Amount arrived he had just raced and then we discovered a really juicy abscess in his left front. We resolved that and then went through a spell of shoe pulling which can happen as these horses adjust to their new turnout and bigger shoes. We have gotten that all resolved finally!
I LOVE the breeding on this horse and I think most of my Curlin offspring just are this nice. They all tend to have a bit thicker body with nice necks. I just think when a horse has a neck that comes out so nice from the shoulder it makes everything much easier. The shape he makes naturally is just so darn nice. He sits in such a great balance in all three gaits. We are now working on starting to push it all a bit more into a stretch which he is really starting to show more each ride. He is such a lovely mover and really just so very rideable. The work ethic on this horse makes you smile. He is one of those horses that is just plain fun to ride and makes everything feel so easy.
The canter is one of those canters you can't help but smile when you are riding it around. Just very dreamy! He is the type you can ride on a long rein or more on the contact depending on your style. He has a nice motor without being hot. His brain is rock solid. The amount of chaos that has been going on here can't be shown in videos but he just is fairly unflappable.
Brooke Howard had introduced him to some poles but today was his first session doing some xrails and fillers. He really did such a nice jump. We don't quite have straight all the time but hey when they are starting out just being willing is enough. He is trotting and cantering quietly around. He shows that he already is making a very nice shape in his body over the jumps.
He is a super nice horse in the barn. Great to ship, wash stall, grooming, clippers, ties, etc. He LOVES water. Like will lay down trying to get wetter which is sort of odd but the hose makes him happy. He has a very fun personality. He is just easy in the stall and turnout.
This is a horse that I can see doing a lot of different things and doing them well. When they have a brain like him it would be easy to compete him in any discipline. He could event but also do hunters, foxhunting, trails, etc. He is just a really kind fun horse.
Videos- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt-dzmhstvn1XeerjhXgY9FpnzSXbpR-I
more details www.benchmarksporthorses.com
Breed: Tb gelding
Age: 2018
Height: 16.1h
Pedigree: Click Here
Price: $7500 subject to change
Link to lots of photos: Click Here
If you are looking for a stunningly gorgeous mare who absolutely loves to jump with fairly auto changes already take a peek at her!
Free Shot- 4yr 16.1 h mare sired by Midshipman out of Bluegrass Cat mare https://www.pedigreequery.com/free+shot3 Free Shot raced 17x retiring sound with no injuries or vices.
This mare is really such a pretty mare! She is quite thick and really has a pretty head . She naturally is one that makes a nice shape in the bridle on her own. Very soft and balanced. I wouldn't say she is the biggest mover but she is very consistent which goes a long way. She was super rideable in her body. The canter is really cute! Her gaits are not so intimidating that they would scare someone and she is easy to put together. She just stays in a very nice balance and is super soft. You can ride her in a variety of ways and she is happy to go a bit more in a frame or on a longer rein depending on who is riding her.
She is also just a horse that has such a great work ethic. This mare is just like okay what's next and what do you want to do now? She is relaxed when you are walking around and then when you ask her to bend, move laterally, work within the gaits, etc she is just right there to do all the things. She is super fun! She is such a smart horse that just does everything to please. We could really start to get some more stretch today and open up the stride as she let go through her back.
Her intro to jumping went so easily you sort of pinch yourself because it really doesn't always go like that. She was just so relaxed about all of it that you probably would not realize this horse had never seen a jump prior to this afternoon. She happily trotted and cantered around over everything offering up super nice lead changes. We kept it short and sweet because honestly she just couldn't have been any better. What a smartie!!!!
She just took to the jumping so fast we slightly raised the jumps just to challenge her a little bit and boy did she think that was fun. She has such a great balanced canter she pretty much does her changes auto without changing the canter which is always nice. She happily cantered around a course of jumps. Sure, she is green (jumped 3x now) but this horse is super duper easy! She just enjoys doing the job and I can see her being the type of horse that gives her rider confidence to the jumps. She is very brave without rushing. She is just the type that is focused on what you are asking her to do and tunes out everything else.
She has been excellent for shipping, baths, the farrier, clipping and everything else. She is great in turnout and in her stall. She has a super sweet personality.
Videos- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt-dzmhstvn2jcRsgsPjZfpMITiULxr-P
Details at www.benchmarksporthorses.com (you will find the specifics on the website).
Breed: Tb mare
Age: 2020
Height: 16.1h
Pedigree: Click Here
Price: $5000 subject to change
Link to lots of photos: Click Here
Cousin Greg- 5yr 16h gelding sired by Klimt out of a Harlans Holiday mare https://www.pedigreequery.com/cousin+greg I saw a picture of his cute face and had to add him to our crew. He has had us cracking up daily. Just a very funny personality. He has an array of squealing noises that he does throughout the day. Sometimes in his paddock, stall or being ridden. They are happy squeals and they never fail to make us laugh.
He has been excellent to ship, cross tie, groom, bathe, grooming and all the things in between. Really nice to work around. Very much food motivated. He really loves people. He does have the most adorable face.
While he has the most innocent looking face he is just a bit of a cheeky bugger. He is quite athletic with this really good canter which he thinks is much more fun to do than anything else. We have to convince him that he also has a trot. Now his canter is just lovely and quite a beautifully balanced slow canter but he will trick you into just letting him canter...and canter..and canter some more because well trotting is harder than cantering for Gregory. Yes, we use his full name when he is being a naughty boy. Sometimes he is Greg but sometimes he is "Gregory." His trot is developing nicely and he is really becoming much more convinced on a daily basis that trotting is part of his new job. There sometimes are some squeals maybe partly joy and sometimes irritation that we are making him bend left :) I think he has just improved leaps and bounds from where he started. He is becoming so much fun and really rideable!
He is a snappy jumper! His boy has some scope and can really use his body. He has really been putting in the work and it shows. He is now cantering around courses and offering his changes. He gets tired and sometimes swaps the leads but I think that comes as they get stronger. He has such a lovely balance in the canter which really makes a great jump. He makes a cute shape over the jump. Quite snappy up front and behind.
Greg is probably a horse for someone that has a bit of a steady program. He is not going to do anything scary but he can be a bit spooky if you don't keep him on task. He likes his rider to be a bit more of the "boss" and set an agenda rather than letting his mind wander so that Gregory doesn't come out. Greg can look like a super quiet ammy friendly horse but Gregory can look like more like a naughty squealing pony. You set him up for success and you get Greg vs Gregory. That being said he is coming along so quickly that I can see most people truly enjoying him. I really love a short back compact type like this. The canter and jump on this one make him so much fun!
Videos- https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt-dzmhstvn0SAchHmenaiGQnLazIdTIi
www.benchmarksporthorses.com for all the details
Breed: Tb gelding
Age: 2019
Height: 16.1h
Pedigree: Click Here
Price: $6500 subject to change
Link to lots of photos: Click Here
Codrington College- 14yr 16h imported TB gelding sired by Duke of Marmalade out of an AP Indy mare https://www.pedigreequery.com/codrington+college. He appears to be super duper clean legged for his career and he has no vices.
He's a wicked cool 14yr imported Irish tb who ran on the flat, brush and was most successful over timber where he had some stakes placed results in the Jonathan Sheppard barn. He also hunted first field with Cheshire and was known for being awesome in the trappiest of territory. In recent years he's been paper chasing, trail riding, hunting, giving leads to babies and just being that all around useful type. A few people reached out to me to say he was just the best to ride and he encouraged them to jump "solid" obstacles without being afraid. I can honestly say at least five people that rode him consistently told me just how amazing this horse is to ride and they all are NOT the type to say it unless they truly mean it.
Cod (I hate this name but he came with it!) has been with us for about a month now. He arrived right as the weather took a turn for the worse. I think everyone has been waiting for us to do something "cool" with him but well the weather had other plans. This horse is just plain fun! He is quite lovely on the flat but goes as well as you ride him. He probably hadn't been asked to do all the flatwork we are doing with him but he is really such a quick study and is quite fancy. He makes such a great shape in the bridle. He is a shorter backed horse and is just ultra sporty. He is quite easy to put together. He is definitely more whoa than go on the flat and over the jumps.
Cod is a quiet horse and he obviously has done everything and then some but he is cheeky type at the same time. He makes us laugh but he will spook at things just to spooky. He will spook at the same jump that he will turn around and jump. I say this because he is quiet but he is also not a dead head. The more you make him work the more he pays attention but Cod is Cod. You aren't going to change him and he is meant to be appreciated for what he is not forced to be anything different.
We haven't jumped much due to the weather so he had a little session yesterday and today I put the jumps up. As I expected, Cod pays attention when he has to think about things a little bit. He just dinks over his little xrails which is great if you want to just plop around but he will snap those knees right up over the bigger stuff. Obviously this horse has jumped around some very serious 4ft+ timber courses so scope is NOT an issue. He has also hunted in Cheshire which has some big damn fences jumped up and down hills making them much bigger lol. He knows his job and he has done the job. He hasn't had a ton of "formal" in the ring type of jump training but he just does it fairly easy. We can tune up those changes a bit but he is so easy to jump. He just stays in a nice canter. He is not quick. He will tend to add vs leave it out. You can put your leg on and just wait to the jumps. I think this is the 3rd time he has jumped in a long time so he is rusty but he has still got it :)
This is the kind of horses that I would have loved to have growing up and well I would still love to have! He will do it all. You want to trail ride, hunt, paper chase, event, do some jumpers, a dressage show here and there or whatever else he is going to do it. He has literally been around the world. Horses like this are worth their weight in gold. He has perfect manners. He ships, clips, ties, great for the farrier and all the things in between. He is an easy keeper. He has super manners. He is used to living out but great in. He is just an easy horse to have around.
He has just an adorable hilarious personality and he really does make me laugh. I think when you ride a horse like this you just know they have all the self preservation in the world. He is so damn smart it is ridiculous but you do have to sort of keep the smart working in your favor and not against you. I think he is smart enough to know what you do and don't know if you catch my drift.
People have asked if he is sound and he is sounder than sound! I mean if he held up to his long career I can't see anything that would deter him from doing anything but he has come out every day looking great here. He does better when in a program or should I say he is less interested in finding dumb things to spook at but his spooks are more funny than serious.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLt-dzmhstvn16tgJWa_v8tMi-lZ_MZGk6
Breed: Tb gelding
Age: 2010
Height: 16h
Pedigree: Click Here
Price: $10000 subject to change
Link to lots of photos: Click Here
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