Fendi on course in the Hunter Prix, HITS Thermal Desert Circuit.
veterinary clinic, Alicia Pacific Veterinary Center, in Laguna Niguel, California. She’s able to ride Fendi two or three times a week. “The trainer rides him very lightly a few days before a show. He jumps three times a month, three feet at most at home. He’s super athletic and that’s all he needs.” He only jumps fences at the 3-6 height twice a month.
She’s careful about maintaining a low-key riding style and
doesn’t wear spurs. “When I ride him, I try not to touch his face, and I use no leg whatsoever.”
SHOWRING STRATEGY “One day I finally felt things were contained enough to actually go to a horse show,” says Christina. By that time, she had owned Fendi for two years. “At his first show, I left out strides on two lines, and I thought it was the most fun I’ve ever had in the three foot.” To help Fendi adjust strides, Kim describes their use of a
training aid. “After his first few shows, we did introduce the elastic neck stretcher to improve his frame and try to make it more like a hunter,” she says. Christina says teaching Fendi to compress his stride
meant riding in a chambon every single day for two years. At a show, he wore it in warmup, and then they would take it off five minutes before going in the ring. Because Fendi can be so opinionated, riding him takes
tact and care, Christina explains. “If you’re riding him and he has an opinion about a distance that he wants, he suggests it several times. You can physically feel the suggestion. If you don’t acquiesce to what he wants, he’s angry and throws his head. So you have to acquiesce to it. If you do, he’ll land on every lead. He’ll jump every jump great,” she says. “We figured out a routine,” she continues. “He gets to do
whatever he wants!” After a fence, Fendi will communicate his displeasure when he doesn’t get his way. “If you force him into what you want, he’ll do it, but he throws his head and he will land on the wrong lead on the other side of the jump, on purpose,” she says, smiling. When she does have to ask for a lead change on course,
it’s a surprise that Christina describes as Fendi saying, “Oh, I have to change leads!” Fendi’s days include turnout and no lunging, with every
Monday designated as graze day. “We go out for a grazing hour. He’ll drag me over there now before lessons to graze. It goes back to the food.” Christina is a true amateur, because she runs a busy
58 November/December 2012
The jumper sire Indoctro, shown at VDL Stud, the Nether- lands in January 2008.
SHOWRING SUCCESS! Finally, all of Christina’s patience and hard work paid off. Fendi became a champion hunter in the Amateur Owner division at USEF A-rated shows. He won Amateur Owner Champion 18-35 in the 2011 HITS Thermal Desert Circuit II. In 2012 they repeated this win at Desert Circuit II. At Desert Circuit I, Christina won the Foxfield Medal and USEF Adult Medal classes. They’ve also placed high in World Champion Hunter Rider (WCHR) standings. Riders earn points in any A-rated
FENDI’S SIRE INDOCTRO Indoctro Preferent is a top stallion at the famed VDL
Stud in the Netherlands. He was the leading jumper sire for USEF in 2011, and in 2012 again leads this ranking. He currently stands twelfth in the USEF ranking of hunter sires. Of Holstein breeding (Capitol I x Caletto II), this 1990
bay Dutch stallion has sired jumpers competing in the last three Olympic Games. He earned the coveted Preferent predicate in 2006. A few of his progeny in North America include Indigo, Casadora, VDL Wardorette and Black Ice. The stallions Wittinger VDL, Orame, Sheraton and No Limit are some of his top sons.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84