The Irish Sport Horse: The ‘Go Anywhere-Do Anything’ horse
The traditional Irish Sport Horse (ISH) is produced by breeding Irish Draught and Thoroughbred bloodlines together producing a sport horse with the size, speed, muscling, and temperament that makes it an excellent athlete. Thoroughbreds are renowned for their intelligence speed and heart while Draughts lend size, strength ,soundness and a sensible mind . In recent generations, European warmblood lines have been added to the breed with the aim of producing more internationally competitive showjumpers. Irish horses...
read moreContinuum – Holsteiner Magic!
Our promising young Holsteiner stallion ‘Continuum’ (Contender/Capitol/Landgraaf) continues to jump well And has also produced some fine foals in 2016
read moreChefs de Race
Chefs- de- Race About a hundred years ago, a French thoroughbred racing scholar named Lt. Col. J.J. Vuillier conducted a study of the top runners in England and France. Vuilllier noticed that certain stallions kept appearing on those pedigrees. He studied their records and determined which characteristics they passed on. He called these stallions the chefs-de-race or “chiefs of the breed ” What’s more, he noticed that every decade or so, new stallions showed up on the list. At the Haras du Gazon our 4 gîtes are named after 4 legendary French...
read moreDawn Walk to the Calvaire at the Crossroads
The early light of misty autumn mornings is so beautiful here in Normandy. It creates drama in the sky that changes minute by minute, it bounces off clouds and it reflects colour and shapes in the smooth dark surface of our lake at the Haras du Gazon which itself could be the inspiration for any number of impressionist paintings. I wanted to see the dawn at the ‘calvaire’ at the crossroads, so had to hurry over the field and head towards the lane lined with tall oak trees. The cows and calves are in the big level field to the right...
read moreAn Autumn Evening In Normandy
I thought I’d show you the crab apple trees which form a colourful avenue on the drive in front of the office. They’re really beautiful, both in the spring; with a brilliant show of blossom and again in the autumn; with their masses of bright, red, tiny apples. It was getting late but I thought there’d be enough light to go up and take a portrait of the 4 year olds, who are relaxing in the field after some work in the school and popping over some little jumps during the week . It wasn’t good timing ; they’d...
read moreQuarantine – 19th Century style
La Cabane (the Old Barn field) This evening the sun came out after the showers of the afternoon, so I disregarded all the 101 things I should be doing and went instead for a walk over to the Old Barn field: ‘La Cabane’ Heading out through the archway: I took the long gangway which leads directly to La Cabane, a secluded place right at the end of this track: I didn’t want to disturb the mares and foals who are grazing over there. Horses don’t like visitors to their fields in the evening, when the light is fading and the ancient fear...
read moreTwo Haras jumpers at Nash
NASH AUCTION ST LO, Normandy. October 26 & 27 2013 Two of our 3 year olds: Adonis Capitol and Wimbleball Forever have been selected for the prestigious Nash Auction for young elite sport horses, which takes place each year at the Selle Français National Championships, Haras National de St Lô. You can watch them free jumping on the Nash Auction catalogue. Adonis Capitol See Adonis Capitol in action Wimbleball Forever See Wimbleball Forever in...
read moreWorld Equestrian Games 2014
For those of you thinking of making the short hop across the Channel for the World Equestrian Games in August/September 2014, the Calendar has been published. The organisers are aiming to allow a ‘great number of people’ to attend the events so tickets will be available from as low as 5 euros. There will also be special deals /packages for events over multiple days. While tickets are not on sale until November 2013 would be worth your while to look at accommodation options and ferry travel. The 70th anniversary of D-Day landings will also...
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