Post by Deleted on Jul 8, 2014 21:36:07 GMT -8
AFTER DARK DELIGHT
The Basics
Show Name: After Dark Delight
Barn Name: Duke
Age: 7
Gender: Gelding
Breed: Dutch Warmblood
Breed Registry: KWPN
The Appearance
Coat Color: Dark Bay
Stable Color: Teal
Height: 17.3
The Personality
Personality:
Duke takes an experienced rider. He is SWEET, but only if he knows and recognizes you. He is extremely SMART, and knows how to use his size to his advantage. Before a ride, he will pretend like he is coming up to you in the field, but when his halter starts going over his head, he will take off in the other direction. Claire seems to be the only person that he does not give a hard time.
Duke is also very STUBBORN. In the ring he is not a push button pony, and he is not a piece of cake on the ground, either. He will throw his head up when someone tries to bridle him, and he needs a firm and confident rider. He cannot stay still for long, either. This can make mounting a challenge, as not many people have the muscle (or the height) to get on him from the ground.
Duke will not transition into different gaits smoothly unless he is held in a frame, and his rider's seat and legs are almost perfect. He takes a lot of leg to move forward, however once he is moving, he does not like to stop. Duke thinks everything is a race, and he does not collect himself easily. Over fences, he tends to over jump them, and then race through courses.
Although he is DIFFICULT, he is WILLING TO LEARN. He takes a certain kind of rider, but when the right individual is on him, he seems like a completely different horse. He will do everything beautifully, and without a fight. The only thing that tends not to change is the fact that he SPOOKS at almost everything, and people riding him need to be deep in their seat and heels if they want to stay on him.
Caution Around: Small Animals. Decorative Jumps. Wind. Water. Young Children. Plastic Bags. Water Bottles.
The History
Basic History:
Duke was born on a farm in northern Wisconsin. It was located on a 700 acre plot of land, and there were approximately three hundred other horses besides him on the property. It was strictly a Dutch Warmblood farm, and all of the horses were registered. They were bred for jumpers, and Duke's half brother went on to compete in the summer Olympics.
He was halter and saddle broke in a timely fashion, and he took to it well. At the age of two he was trained under saddle, and started training for jumping. Because of his large size, three feet and under was easy for him, he could almost take them in stride. When he got more comfortable with striding in between lines, he started training over higher jumps.
He was showed in Wisconsin many times, and took home blue almost every time. The highest he has jumped under saddle is six feet, but at a barn he used to board at, he jumped over an eight foot high section of fence in a field.
He was purchased by Claire Vausse when he was five, at the price of $35,000. Claire thought that Duke could be the one to help her achieve her dream of participating in the Olympics. They have worked together for two years now on a variety of English disciplines, and Duke has excelled at them all.
The Technicalities
Discipline: English;; Hunters, Jumpers (Eventing, Cross Country, Show Jumping), Training in Dressage
Owner: Claire Vausse
Rider: