Connemaras

[xyzabc]

Hi,
just wondering if anyone has ridden Connemaras and if so can you give me your opinion of them? bearing in mind all are individuals of course.

The breeders sites extoll their virtues but then all breed sites do that with their own breed.

What are they really like? Stubborn? Headstrong? Like to run? More sedate? Like work? Like to loaf? How would they go if ridden say half an hour a day, late afternoon. Are they going to need lunging for half an hour before they're safe to mount?

I really don't want a high powered performance type mount. Nor do I want a tall mount. It's not the getting on that's the problem, it's the getting down again. I have a ruptured disc, sciatica and a dodgy left leg.

I just want to be able to get on a horse and go for a sedate walk round the paddocks in the afternoon without risking my life. This is supposed to be an extension of my fitness routine.

Opinions would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Hot to Trot]

The best horse I have owned was a Connemara. I had him for 26 years and he was a horse in a million. Did hacking, dressage, games, jumping, a million miles of bush riding and RDA. Could leave him for 6 months and no problem. Put 110% in to everything. Taught complete beginners to ride on him. You could go from a gallop in the bush to a sedate walk. Rode him till he was 30 and at 36 he still showed no signs of arthritis. Sadly I have never met a horse that can compare to him. (though I love my little Quarter horse)
The worst horse I owned was a Connemara. I retired the old one at 30 years and bought a young Connemara. Total disaster...
Stubborn and dominant but unpredictable. I worked with him for a year with lots of help from friends. We did clinics and a year of natural horsemanship. The bottom line was that we unsuited and it was never going to work. By this time I had totally lost my nerve. Sold him.
So I do think the breed is fantastic. They were bred to be all round family ponies. They have pony personalities but feel more like riding a horse. But like any breed, there are many different personalities.
Good luck with your search

 

[foxleigh stud]

I had a conniexTB he was fantastic - although now a WB person through and through I would certainly recommend that you go and check them out. Like all breeds the individuals will differ but we'll worth investigating.

Good luck in your search!!!

 

[Sugar's Mum]

many years ago a lady I knew bred a conni x stockhorse. He was a nuggety little guy and was happy as larry to double dink the pair of us round her property the one time we tried it. Didn't blink an eye when I slid off his rump going uphill lol.
He was also horsey. Loved working cattle. Sadly he was put to sleep after fracturing his hock.

 

[GoWelshCobs]

i have a ex stally connie he has the most awesome temperment that he passed to all his children, i found that most connie can tend to have a little stuborn streak and will ask why and u better have a bloody good reason to convince them.

appart from that love them asa breed and would have got another if could have found one A under saddle B in WA and C not old

 

[Silhouette]

I had an amazing connie gelding, by the wonderful Lefroy Ailin Dwayne, he was an awesome pony! I got him when i was 12 as a just back 2y old and he taught me so much, no dirt in him, always willing to please, turned into a super dressage pony, would let me ride him all day, or once a week or pull him out after 4months off n go bareback riding, i then sold him and hes now a vaulting, trick and games pony for the kids as well as an eventer for their mum

I wouldnt hesitate in owning another one

 

[celestialdancer]

If you were after a sedate pony for dawdling around the field's with, I would suggest a highland pony. Still a native breed, very versatile.

My mare can be opionated, but she's never done anything about it. She's not nasty. A few connies I know/have ridden/experienced can be forward going, just in general keen to get on with the job. Many are also quiet, it really would depend.

If you're not after for anything much over 13hhish, you could also try a new forest pony.

My mare on her fourth birthday ride. Only her 20th or so ride under saddle. Went for an hour, chased cows and calves, went wading in a little river, had calves chase us, didn't bat an eyelid.

 

[xyzabc]

Thank you everyone, very useful.

Hot To Trot, I know what you mean, my problem is my current horse does not click with me hence I have her up for sale now.

I don't know that there are any Highland Ponies in Qld but I know there are 2 good Coonemara studs in SEQ and as luck would have it, only a short drive from where my niece is getting married. So we could go and "meet the folks" while we're down there for the wedding.

I agree that it's better to meet the individuals and if I could get an older horse with history that might be better but I don't think there's many around. There are stacks of performance type horses and ponies from SJ to cow ponies and dressage etc. (and have you noticed how 2/3 of all adds are for a 'stunning' horse - the one I have stunned me so I don't want another like that!) but there never seems to be any plodders.

I got to trying to describe what I want in a mount, and went Googling for that and came up with some Connemaras, hence my question.

Thanks again for your opinions.

 

[celestialdancer]

Majority of Highlands are in QLD/VIC

Try the Highland Pony website, there's a ridden mare for sale ATM, and I think she's QLD, if I remember correctly!

 

[Nicki]

I agree with Celestial Dancer, any of the larger Native breeds would be a good choice.

I have a 4yo Connie mare and a 6yo Connie x Andalusian/TB gelding, both by Dylanglen Shamrock. Had them both since babies and found them to be pretty straightforward horses to own. They were charming foals and yearlings, had your typical naughty 2yo stage but matured into wonderfully reliable, safe, healthy, sound horses and incredibly good 'do-ers'. Both are on starvation diets at the moment with nothing but Gidgegannup pasture, had no hard feeds or hay for a month and still look lovely.

Dylan the gelding is my main ride, Zara the purebred mare will one day be my daughter's mount. Zara went from being a 'diva' youngster to the most quiet, safe, easy to do anything with pony you can imagine. Due to me being busy with my baby I don't have time to work her as often as I'd like so she often goes for weeks or even months without being ridden, yet I can confidently pull her out of the paddock, dust her off and tack up for a bush ride or pop small children on her back for pony rides. Never needs lungeing. She knows when she has littlies on her back and walks so slowly and carefully you would think she's a veteran riding school pony, not a green 4yo. I can ride her bareback on a loose rein past a big randy stallion showing off in his paddock and she doesn't bat an eyelash.

As with any breed, it also comes down to how they are handled and trained by their previous owner, if you get an unspoiled specimen from an experienced home then you should do fine. I had a Connie gelding when I was a kid who was 13yo when we got him and had been through a few owners and therefore picked up lots of bad habits that took me years to undo, but we learned together and it made me a better rider lol! He was still awesome though, super little jumper - 13.3hh and we jumped pony club A grade at rallies and were competing B grade. Could do anything on him and was loads of fun.

Xyzabc, you're welcome to come meet my ponies and have a tootle around on Zara if you'd like to see what they're like. I reckon my two are pretty good examples of purebred and partbred as far as conformation, temperament and rideability goes, they both got rave reviews from the trainer when they were started under saddle too **) They went to Fred Watkins, who starts quite a few Connies and reckons they're one of his favourite breeds to work with. The fabulous Glenormiston Stud is QLD, and sadly the owner recently passed away so there was a stud dispersal, but their stock has contributed heavily to the breeding programmes of many other sucessful studs. VERY nice ponies if you can get your hands on one of them!

Edit: Oops, I've just seen you're in QLD so you prob won't want to come visit, lol! I'm sure you could contact breeders and ask to come see their horses and see what they're like to handle, under saddle etc to see if you like them. Most breeders are happy to show off their breed. The wonderful Glenormiston Stud was QLD but due to the recent sad passing of the owner has undergone stud dispersal. Their stock contributed heavily to the development of many other successful studs nationwide and internationally over the past couple of decades. Definitely worth a look if you see a Glenormiston pony come up for sale, they're fabulous.

This is my purebred Zara

And this is the Connie X gelding

 

[GoWelshCobs]

I had an amazing connie gelding, by the wonderful Lefroy Ailin Dwayne, he was an awesome pony! I got him when i was 12 as a just back 2y old and he taught me so much, no dirt in him, always willing to please, turned into a super dressage pony, would let me ride him all day, or once a week or pull him out after 4months off n go bareback riding, i then sold him and hes now a vaulting, trick and games pony for the kids as well as an eventer for their mum

I wouldnt hesitate in owning another one

my ex stally is the wonderfull DWANE, he is into his 30's now and living his retirement out at neighlands( thanks Lyn)

hi temperment is standout

 

[Trojane]

I've known three Connemaras and all were docile, most obliging types -
willing without being frenetic and incredibly patient with the demands of their owners.
Also nice little jumpers and good at ponyclub activities.

 

[Hot to Trot]

Nicki..Seeing your photos makes me wish i had a Connie again

 

[Nicola]

My friend in England has a Connemara x appy. He's a stunning little horse and can jump anything, but he's far from easy and is as hot as hell! Sensible though, not spooky, just a handful to ride and temperamental. Quite a character! I'd have him on a heartbeat if he was 2 hands higher

 

[Elanda]

I had a ripper little Connie named Wychwood Stormbird. Best little all rounder. I bought him as a newly gelded unbroken 4yo and he never put a foot wrong*

 

[Cheeki]

Love the Connies! *

My girl is 23, and still running around and acting like a 5 year old :wub: Such a wonderful, strong, powerful horse. I would recommend this breed (or X, my girl is X tb) any day. The only problem is Hon is a bit short (14.2hh).

She is a wonderful horse - nothing stops us. She is strong, willing, keen, wanting to work and learn, and has a 'give it a go' attitude. She has awesome feet (never been shod, very strong feet), easy keeper (too easy!), and gets along with everyone.

She can be stubborn, and makes you ride every step of the way. She's not mean or naughty, but she does have high standards lol. I've done everything with my connie x. I'd buy another in a heart beat

 

[Nicki]

She is a wonderful horse - nothing stops us. She is strong, willing, keen, wanting to work and learn, and has a 'give it a go' attitude. She has awesome feet (never been shod, very strong feet), easy keeper (too easy!), and gets along with everyone.

Oh yeah that's the other thing, they tend to have GREAT feet. My mare's are rock-hard, beautifully shaped and never crack or chip. Farrier reckons they're pretty near perfect.

 

[JellyBelly]

i have a connemara x tb and hes gorgeous. he is a bit wary of 'new people' but once he trusts you he is suck a sooky boy, loves his cuddles and will be the first at the gait waiting if he sees us hanging around the stables. its like he became a different horse after we had him a few days!

prior to me riding him he was competing advanced dressage and c grade eventing. now hes my schoolmaster teaching me the ropes of dressage. under saddle he puts 150% into everything. he is so forgiving with all my stuff ups, sometimes i really dont know how he doesnt crack it at my dodgy aids!

his downfall would be that he can be spooky and a bit of a stress head but i put that down to the tb in him. dont know how true that is though?

 

[Meischa]

Try Gary or Annette at Garnet Stud at Helidon, SEQ.

The senior stallion is Glenormiston Thady and anything by Thady is just absolutely gorgeous.

I can't quite remember the exact standards but a registered purebred cannot be over 14.2 hh (or is it 14hh ?? :blink: )

Connies (in general) seem to be very good doers, calm, have fabulous hooves and teeth and their temperaments are second to none. Wonderful breed - couldn't recommend them more.

Thady has produced some great Registered Pony, WB and TB crosses and the WB and TB ones have that extra height.

Good luck with your search.

 

[xyzabc]

Yes I'm in touch with Gary and Annette now. Had been trying to email them but they're having Net problems. We are in discussions so hope to have a photo to post back here down the track!!

Thanks guys for all the stories/advices, sounds like they are as wonderful as they are said to be.