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HERO - SOLD
17.2, 9 yr old Holsteiner gelding   Hero is a magnificent 17.2 Holsteiner gelding by Cassini 2 out of the Fier de Lui Z mare 'Atlanta VI'. 
Hero was born in northern Germany, and raised and started in the show ring by his own breeder. As a five year old he competed successfully in both dressage and jumping in E and A Klasse. We imported him as a six year old.
Although we brought Hero over as a intended sale prospect in '05, he instead stayed and became my personal riding horse. Shortly after Hero arrived, I suffered a minor stroke which left damage to my left side. It is Hero who brought me back. It is, therefore, somewhat difficult to give a completely unbiased description of Hero.  
One thing everyone agrees on: Hero is magnificent, beautiful, and enormously talented. Although he's tall, it is impossible to judge his height unless someone is standing right beside him. He's beautifully proportioned, with a compact , elegant, well balanced frame and great length of leg. In dressage Hero is currently at the point where, with a competent rider, he can do 3rd Level with his eyes shut and with one hoof tied behind his back. His lateral work is solid, his changes are easy. You have to remind him to stick with basic collected trot before he goes on to passage. He is not a horse who needs to be 'fiddled' with. You climb on, pick up the reins, put your leg on, and Hero is on the bit and ready to work. Hero has been shown through third Level 3 (single-handed....that is to say--with me hanging onto the saddle strap with my not-so-good left hand, and only somewhat successfully steering with my right...) with scores solidly in the mid-sixties (imagine what he could have done with TWO hands...). Hero accepts, but does heavy sighs at, the role of 'therapeutic assistance'.  
Although Hero is generally a very mellow easy-going fellow under saddle, who usually works on the flat and over fences with lovely relaxation and rythym, he's also a hugely charismatic and athletic animal who likes to strut his stuff. He has no limits on his jumping ability-he can currently lope around 4'3' to 4'6 courses and make them look cross-rail height, and he has no absolutely no limits on his scope.All that said, Hero is still, in a manner of speaking, a green horse. He showed successfully as a four and five yr old in Germany in a handful of dressage shows (to A and L klasse), ridden by his breeder's teenage daughter, and went on to his first recognized large jumping show in Germany as a five yr old just a few weeks before we brought him over-placing an easy third out of fifty+ horses with serious competition against him. His level of talent and style of jumping is suitable for the A-circuit working hunter divisions, his scope is suitable for A/O or open-and-above- jumpers. He could also easily be a superb Equitation horse (he has the adjustabilty, smnoothness, and 'ride-ability' to compete against the best in the country with further mileage). Hero is currently in training with a professional jumper rider in WA state. Hero also has the innate balance and lovely articulation to work comfortably at the upper levels of dressage. He has comfortable gaits and a wonderful ease with collection, and was starting last fall to play with passage, pirouette, and tempes. Hero is a TOP CALIBER horse. We would like to see him with a talented rider and a great trainer, and we would love to see him making the most of his impressive jumping talent in the A circuit ring, or going on to the FEI levels n dressage.  HERO is offered for sale for $27,000. Video clips of HERO are available for download here. A youtube clip of Hero schooling 3'9 to 4'6 in April is also available-please email us for that link.  Hero, quietly attempting to sneak out under the gate. |