This has been a very difficult decision for me to make, but I am open to finding Aspen a new home if the perfect match could be found. So ask me now before I change my mind! This is a rare opportunity to purchase one of our personal horses, Zaehl's best friend.

 

Fairfield Aspen Princess, and she is a princess, my one in a million sight unseen purchase, who has been nothing but fantastic every step of the way.

 

Aspen is a 16hh, 11yo Chestnut OTT TB mare. However don't let that fool you, she doesn't believe in all the stereotypes!

 

She is quiet, honest, willing, and a very loyal mare. She is elegant and competitive, and has room to go further. If you know how to push her buttons, she is a push button kind of ride. She is experienced in road and trail riding, on the flat, and has been very well exposed at shows (HRCAV and Agricultural) and dressage.

 

As my friends know, Aspen is everything I usually don't look for in a personal horse. She is tall, a thoroughbred, and yet somehow was my perfect match. She has given me back so much confidence and security in my riding, and has helped me adapt to riding with the physical limitations and challenges I face in the saddle.

 

In the sense of temperament she is a pull out of the paddock and go type horse, but fitness wise (as any horse) benefits from consistent work to both feel and look her best.

 

Aspen has been a competitive Open Show horse, level 3 HRCAV showing and dressage mount (with the ability to step up), and has taken me around some small jumps and given me incredible work out on XC. She isn't always the most elegant jumper, but this is due mainly to me not pursuing the grid work and development a showjumper needs with her. When I have asked her to go around for some fun, she's jumped everything I have asked!

 

She has been to busy agricultural shows, HRCAV shows, dressage comps, clinics, bush bashing trail rides, road rides, etc. She is consistent & willing in 99.99% of environments. The 0.01% was when we showed right next door to a camel, which she thought was pretty scary! She still worked the house down for me, stayed manageable, and won mount most suitable by the end of the day.

 

Aspen has a lovely nature. She is a mare in the sense that she knows she is beautiful, and knows what she likes. She can be "marey" in the sense that she values her personal space during a ride, and does sometimes benefit from a mare supplement throughout the breeding season. She's not unmanageable but it helps her stay more consistent.

 

With my young Connemaras now growing up, and my long term dream of breeding, riding, and sharing this wonderful breed, plus working with client horses, unfortunately I just don't have the ability to bring along my youngsters, and keep Aspen in the work she needs to be competition ready.

 

We purchased Aspen as a 9yo OTT brood mare, and restarted her under saddle. Within a handful of rides we took her off property in the wildest and windiest weather where she went walk, trot, canter, in the arena and in the open with 0 issues. She's continued on that trajectory ever since.

 

She has excellent brakes, a soft snaffle mouth all phases, can be ridden out in a huge open space as fast as she is willing to go (not very, she says she is not a race horse anymore) and you know that you are safe and can enjoy it.

 

She will love you fiercely in her own way, and knows when you need just a bit of a longer hug.

 

Aspen needs a capable intermediate rider upwards, as she is nicely sensitive so does not like having to work her way through miscommunications from a more beginner rider. Must be a knowledgable and experienced horsey home.

 

She has been a confidence booster for me in the sense that I am a capable rider who had a knock back with competing and trail riding. She is extremely patient with me when I am anxious, if you can keep giving her direction when you are feeling insecure she will continue to follow it well.

 

She has been pretty darn solid out on the trails through bush, seeing roos, etc. If the other horses in a group get antsy she will feed off them a little but ultimately make her own mind up regarding whatever has spooked everyone, and settles quickly.

 

She can go for a "gallop" (she doesn't go very fast anymore) with a group down an open stretch of road and you know you have breaks. Whether she is up front or behind.

 

She does have a few quirks as does any horse, such as being spicy on the lunge from time to time (never does even half of her lunging shenanigans under saddle), or can become impatient in a line up at a show if she's feeling a bit tense. She has never bucked, or bolted.

 

She can have some separation anxiety in the paddock if she is the one left behind, but isn't stupid about it, and she doesn't get this way with every horse either.

 

If she is the one leaving, or you are riding away from her friends at a show it is easy to keep her on track and get her mind off her friends.

 

She has done a couple of small pig roots if you can even call them that, and has done a couple of small hops when very tense, but moves forward and works out of this easily. This has happened at only 2 shows, both of which when she was in season, in only light work, and not on a good feed and supplement routine. I truly think it could have been avoided with these things, as she's been very quiet at even busier events.

 

She has an old scar on her wither so is particular about her rugs, and when being tacked up. The best guess is that it was a rug pulling and rubbing creating soreness and scarring in the past, the injury was not deep set. It is also important she has a well fitting saddle (any horse should regardless.)

 

She needs an ulcer friendly diet, but is not a terrible keeper when on a diet that supports her gut.

 

She can do a head tossing motion which we have dubbed "snooting" when she is feeling a little bit tense, bored, or go-ey, which is just a quirk that she does that has never escalated. She will work out of it if you give her something to think about. The only thing to watch is with her delicate little head, she can shake off a bridle if you don't have it well fitted and don't watch how much she shakes (ask me how I know, lol!)

 

In fact when she has slipped the bridle precisely nothing has happened other than her standing there, unsure what to fidget with next.

 

I adore this mare with my entire heart, and I am starting to tear up finishing this. She has been a once in a lifetime horse for me, and I know I will regret this sale for myself. For her - she both loves and needs the consistency I just cannot provide her with right now.

 

She's given me so much and would do that again for someone who has more time.

 

Aspen is priced at $8,000 to reflect the current market, and the fact she is currently in paddock condition and not fit or show fat. Located Beeac (Colac) Vic.

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