The Hanoverian Grand Prix Jumping Mare LANDHA
By Annetta Coleman
eight and was always interested in jumping. “I would always watch my friend ride—seeing the partnership between my friend and her horse made me want to have that same relationship.” Growing up, Alexandra was never the girl who wanted a “made” horse that was already accomplished and could go win the hunter classes without a lot of personal effort. Her passion was to find an equine partner with raw talent that she could personally train under the guidance of a professional. After a few leased horses that topped out at 3'6" or 3'9", Alexandra was ready for a horse with more scope. And at the age of 15, Alexandra was pleasantly surprised when her parents agreed to allow her to shop for a horse of her very own. Tat search led Alexandra to Horsepower Farm in Vancouver, Washington where she found Landha (Lanthan / Falkland), a nine-year-old, 16.3 hand black Hanoverian mare. Landha was imported from Germany as a foal and then
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purchased by Nancy Connolly of HorsePower Farm. According to Nancy, “As a yearling, Landha was the most cat-like horse that I had ever met, with supple coordination, a strong loin and powerful hock action. She has character, a good mind and a tremendous amount of presence in the ring and in the paddock.” As a young filly, Landha was shown in dressage breed classes where she qualified for regional championships and also placed in the top ten for fillies of her age within the USDF Breeders Championship series. Landha was backed at age three, produced a foal at age four and then started her dressage career at age five with adult amateur rider Kimberly Randsell who was also awarded the Dover Adult Amateur Medal five times with Landha. But, it was unmistakable that Landha also had a passion for jumping. Since Landha's sire produces both dressage and jumper performance horses, it was no surprise that by the age of nine, Landha was trained to Second Level dressage
62 March/April 2013
lexandra Holmes started riding at the age of
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and also jumping four- foot courses. “Landha is very
tuned into the rider” says Kimberley. “She is so intuitive that the rider has to barely think the aid—she is a true partner.” Tese skills coupled with exceptional scope to her jump and the ability to turn quickly made her one of the top horses for consideration when Alexandra and her trainer started shopping for Alexandra's jumping
horse. And, although Alexandra’s jumper trainer recommended that she “not fall in the love with the first talented jumper that she tried,” Alexandra did anyway. Alexandra and Landha developed an exceptional
partnership. “We were looking to buy a horse that was going to be able to do a higher level, but Landha continued to surprise us at every level.” Within three years, Alexandra and Landha were jumping five feet—Grand Prix level—which was quite an accomplishment for an 18-year-old junior rider. Tey continued jumping at that level as Alexandra became an adult amateur at age 19. Alexandra states that the key to her success is a combination of the natural raw talent of the mare, the partnership between herself and Landha and the right trainers, who were her “foundation and ingrained in (her) all of the right jumping principles.” “We grew up in our jumping together,” she notes. (It is very
unusual when both rider and horse are green and developing their Grand Prix jumping technique together.) Alexandra says that Landha is always willing, playful and welcoming, and always ready to meet a challenge. Te partnership has truly been successful as the pair qualified for the USEF West Coast Finals four years in a row and was named the American Hanoverian Society Junior or Adult Amateur Jumper Champion every year from 2006-2012. Alexandra, who now attends college, retired Landha from Grand Prix jumping at age 15. v
Photo: Alexandra Holmes in Grand Prix Jumping form with Landha.
Julie Ward Photography
American Hanoverian Society
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